The agriculture and livestock sector in Pakistan needs to uplift. Keeping in mind, the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore has decided to set up its own radio station to educate 30 million farmers and employees of livestock in Punjab.
Demand for livestock products will continue to increase as incomes and human population continues to grow. This sector growth needs to be accommodated in a context of finite natural resources, contribute to livelihoods and long-term food security, and respond to climate change.
Vice Chancellor of the UVAS Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha addressed the feasibility report of the radio station had been prepared and sent to the planning commission for its approval.
The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) vice chancellor alleged the cost of the proposed radio station would be PKR 4 million including the cost of the broadcasting equipments. The station would be operational in the current fiscal year 2018-19 at its Pattoki Campus.
In the first phase, the station would cater the farmers of the central Punjab and after its successful service its frequency would be increased to the whole province of Punjab within two years.
He elaborated that the station would broadcast programmes of professional experts of the varsity for the guidance of farmers and other people belonging to livestock to revamp the cultivation, farming process and enhance the per acre yield of crops and production of milk.
Agriculture sector contributes 22 percent of the total GDP of the country while livestock have 58.6 percent share in agriculture sector GDP.With the help of radio station such programmes would be broadcast through which awareness from lethal diseases like foot and mouth of animals would be created among the farmers.
The radio station would help uplift agriculture and livestock sectors in the province to prosper the nation globally.