Pakistan Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP)

Ineffective input service delivery in SR VCs (animal health, feed supply, extension) Limited access to market information and economic assessments; Limited access to vaccines for enterotoxaemia and contagious caprine pleuropneumonia; Feed scarcity during lean periods (November-January and May-June); Degraded rangelands; Low productivity and quality of fodder from rainfed and irrigated systems.

Institutional approaches for improving the efficiency of small ruminant meat value chains; Feeding systems integrating improved forage production with rangeland/pasture management; Sustainable management practices; Delivery of animal health services through better targeting based on more accurate and relevant information.

The potential benefits of this project from identifiying and promoting improved forage varieties with high yield potential with appropriate agronomic practices in Pakistan would substantially be at economic, social and environmental level. The dissemination of rangeland practices and forage varieties, in addition to the assessment of rapid small ruminants value chain, are leading to increased income for small householders. The result is given by increased livelihood opportunities. The new knowledge and skills acquired by professional and technical staff of various stakeholders (research institutions, farmers) will help in adopting and applying new technologies generated and demonstrated in their regular activities to sustain the project achievements. The several training of students and researchers, funded with the project budget, will equip them with knowledge and skills to develop and improve new technologies in the agricultural/husbandry sector, such as rangeland management, fodder production and small ruminants supplemental feeding regimes in arid agro-pastoral systems in Pakistan.