In 2001 the Government of Pakistan requested assistance from FAO in developing federal and provincial livestock development policies and action plans, reflecting renewed recognition of the importance of livestock to the economy of Pakistan particularly in achieving macroeconomic development goals.

Livestock Contribution towards Agricultural Development

Constraints to livestock production in Pakistan were identified at the five provincial levels (Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan, and AJK/NAs) and three specific theme levels (Breeding, Dairy, and Marketing) through a process of expert consultation, stakeholder workshops, field visits, brainstorming sessions, and public and private institutional visitation. The conclusions were presented in eight individual reports and stakeholder sessions as reported above. The main findings of the reports are summarized here. In summary, there was remarkable consistency among the provincial level studies in identification of the most urgent constraints to increasing livestock production in Pakistan. These were identified as:

Low breed potential and loss of germplasm;
Poor availability and quality of feeds and feeding practices;
Low availability and technical capacity of animal health services;
Lack of marketing information and services.

Impact of drought;
Poor access to credit;
Weak knowledge and application of farm management.

Finally, it was noted that there was a need to improve the infrastructure and capacity of research facilities, to encourage human capital development opportunities, and to support and promote small ruminant production.