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Dialogue on Foot and Mouth Disease held

ISLAMABAD: Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP), a European Union funded project to support agricultural and livestock SMEs, held a Public Private Dialogue (PPD) on Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) jointly with the Livestock department, Government of Sindh. Livestock experts, academia from the Sindh Agricultural University, civil society organizations, and livestock-based SME experts attended the PPD.

According to a statement on Friday, attending the event, Minister Livestock and Fisheries Department Mr. Abdul Bari Pitafi said that it was vital that the Slaughter Act be reviewed, as the sector contributes immensely to the GDP. FMD is controlled through accurate and quick diagnosis, enabling legal framework, and timely involvement of stakeholders are the solution to curtail the spread of the disease. A range of legislation on animal health is under process, including animal rights and benefiting women who are the main livestock breeders.

FMD is one of the most infectious disease of cattle in Pakistan, which results in annual loss of more than $349 million, resulting in an annual loss of USD 692.884 million, according to the 2018 livestock population data. It is also the primary reason of export restriction of livestock products. GRASP is working to promote public and private stakeholders’ ownership, coordination, and involvement in the implementation of the FMD control strategy. DG Sindh Institute of Animal Health Livestock Department said that Sindh government is introducing risk-based strategic vaccination for FMD hotspot, where Karachi could be declared as FMD control zone.

Mehmood Nawaz Shah Vice President Sindh Abadgar Board elaborated how developing Sindh’s FMD Control Strategy if harmonized with National FMD Control Program can curtail spread of the disease and take measures for the enactment of animal health regulation for Sindh harmonized with the Federal Animal Health Law to resolve the issue.

GRASP is a six-year project designed to reduce poverty in Pakistan by strengthening small-scale agribusinesses. GRASP is implemented by the International Trade Centre – the joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization – with active participation from local partners.

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