Workshop on Livestock Health in Mountain Communities

News Desk

Islamabad: Speakers at an event on Friday emphasised the importance of sharing the fragile mountain ecosystems for sustenance, advocating for indirect compensation for livestock predation, and improving overall ecosystem health.

During a workshop organized by the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) in collaboration with the Animal Sciences Division of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (NARC), they also highlighted the crucial need to promote coexistence between agro-pastoral communities and snow leopards.

Dr Jaffer Ud Din, Deputy Director of SLF, stressed the pivotal role of empowering local communities in snow leopard landscapes to foster sustainable economic growth and biodiversity preservation.

He commended the collaboration between mountain societies and governmental as well as non-governmental organisations in safeguarding forests and wildlife in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Chitral over the past two decades.

Dr Jaffer also introduced the EHP (Empowering Healthy People) programme, which adopts a “One Health” approach recognising the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, thus solidifying SLF’s holistic approach to conservation.

Dr Syed Mehmood Nasir, an environmentalist and anthropologist, emphasised the vital role of livestock health and production in fostering rural development, ensuring ecosystem stability, and contributing to sustainable conservation practices.

Dr Muhammad Shafeeq from NARC highlighted the importance of addressing livestock diseases and promoting best practices for healthier communities and ecosystems.

The workshop covered various essential components, including livestock disease prevention, vaccination and medication practices, basic surgical operations, breeding and breed improvement, livestock feeding, yak management, rural poultry and rabbit farming, care and management of young stock, and value addition in livestock.

Samar Hussain Khan, Conservator Wildlife at the Ministry of Climate Change, emphasised the direct impact of these initiatives on the welfare of mountain communities and the promotion of healthy mountain ecosystems.