AUP, SABAWON initiates project to increase milk production

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Apr, 2026) University of Agriculture Peshawar (AUP) in collaboration SABAWON, a civil society organization initiated a project to increase milk production and reduce feed costs for small livestock farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project is addressing the shortcomings in veterinary facilities, skills and fodder systems.

Under the project, implemented under the leadership of Professor Dr Nazir Ahmed Khan of the University of Agriculture and Dr Owais Akhundzada of Sabawon, veterinary stations in Khyber and Peshawar districts have been upgraded.

Staff were retrained and artificial insemination (AI) kits, cold chain systems and vaccines were provided. Under a memorandum of understanding, operational costs are now part of the authority’s budget. 24 community livestock extension workers trained by the Animal Husbandry Inservice Training Institutes (AHITI) of Livestock Department are providing vaccination, de-worming and first aid at the village level.

In addition to this, 300 farmers have been trained in animal husbandry, feeding and dairy processing, while 200 were given equipment kits. Two fodder crops—lucerne and ryegrass—were successfully tried on farms. Under which milk production per cow per day increased by 2.4 liters with lucerne-maize silage.

Moreover, under this project, calf weight increased by 318 grams per day with ryegrass silage and the use of milk was reduced. Under this successful project, ten farmer groups are now selling milk collectively with solar refrigeration. 20 vaccination/AI campaigns reached 1,200 farmers. For the first time in years, animals did not lose weight in winter.

Experts say that the adoption of the mechanism on large-scale can reduce fodder shortage in Peshawar Valley by 70 to 80 percent.