World Bank’s $137 million project to strengthen Sindh’s livestock, says Nasir Shah

The Sindh government ranks sixth in the region for exemplary performance in public-private partnerships. Under the vision of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, a $137 million project has recently been secured from the World Bank to strengthen the livestock sector in the province.

Sindh Minister for Energy and Planning & Development Syed Nasir Hussain Shah made these remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of the Sindh Livestock Expo on Sunday. The Sindh energy minister congratulated the livestock department for successfully organising a large-scale expo to showcase the domesticated and farming animals. He noted that the expo saw a remarkable turnout with over one million visitors attending the three-day event.

He highlighted the expo's significance, saying it provided farmers, breeders and investors with an opportunity to collaborate and advance the sector collectively. He added that public farming facilities and landowners could partner with private farmers under the public-private partnership mode to promote local breeding and development of indigenous breeds.

Addressing the event, Sindh Minister for Education Syed Sardar Ali Shah expressed his longstanding desire for a grand livestock expo in Sindh. Recalling his tenure as the Sindh culture minister, he said he had envisioned a combined expo for culture, livestock and agriculture.

He noted a significant shift since 1947 when 65 per cent of the country's economy depended on crops and 35 per cent on livestock. Today, livestock contributed 65 per cent, while agriculture accounted for 35 per cent, he remarked.

The education minister said he attended the expo on all three days as a farmer and lamented that promotion of the livestock sector had not been a government priority. He pointed out that over one million people attended the event to see the animals and birds.

He highlighted the growing trend of rooftop farming, with people now keeping sheep and goats on their terraces. He advocated for a dual policy for commercial and indigenous breeding, stating that afterwards, imported breeds could be crossbred with local breeds.

Sardar remarked that the Red Sindhi cow, which had been bred locally for over 6,000 years, had survived due to private breeders, not government farms. He urged that government farms should collaborate with private breeders under a public-private partnership system to preserve local breeds.

He congratulated Sindh Livestock Minister Muhammad Ali Malkani on successfully conducting the event and expressed the hope that the event would become a permanent feature in Karachi.

Speaking on the occasion, Malkani thanked Sardar and Nasir for their support and encouragement. He requested Nasir to prioritise the livestock department and approve innovative projects for this sector at the planning and development department.

The livestock minister said the expo showcased numerous investment opportunities in the livestock sector to the people of Karachi. He shared that farmers from remote areas of Sindh were brought to the event and provided with all facilities for three days, enabling them to exhibit rare and indigenous animals that needed breeding and development. He concluded by expressing gratitude to all stakeholders who contributed to making the event a success.