MULTAN: In a ceremony held in Multan, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director for Pakistan, Mr. Jock Conly, awarded 129 motorbikes to artificial insemination technicians who successfully completed a five-week artificial insemination training program through the USAID Dairy Project.
Artificial insemination technicians work with local farmers to improve the quality of the breed and cattle that will produce higher milk yields. In order to reach farmers in remote areas, frequent travel is required for artificial insemination technicians. These motorbikes enable technicians who have received USAID training to put that new knowledge to good use, helping to increase dairy production throughout southern Punjab. It also enables them to reach far flung dairy farmers, ensuring those in remote areas also benefit from artificial insemination and improved milk yields.
Speaking at the occasion, Jock said, “The United States government is committed to helping Pakistan boost economic growth. For example, this project has helped nearly 3,000 young people in rural Punjab get jobs and earn income to support their families as technicians, farm managers, and animal healthcare workers.”
In addition to the 129 motorbikes distributed today, and 340 distributed previously, USAID and the Dairy and Rural Development Foundation will continue to train more artificial insemination technicians from South Punjab who will help small dairy farmers improve their cattle businesses. They will also continue to train women livestock extension workers to serve as animal nurses.
Mr. Jack Moser, Director of the Dairy Project said, “The Dairy Project’s training programs will generate new jobs for unemployed youth and empower them to be entrepreneurs who can offer their skills to enable dairy farmers to have stronger, healthier cattle that will produce more milk and thus, increase their incomes.”
USAID will increase employment and incomes for 250,000 farm households (2 million people) by 2015 through its economic growth programs, including the Dairy Project. This three-year, $14 million project, will improve the lives of 9,000 small dairy farmers by enhancing their productivity and resulting in at least 10 percent increase in their incomes.
DND
