SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SECTOR: MOVING TOWARDS ZERO HUNGER AND FOOD SECURITY

Abstract

Animal production has been a vital part of human civilization for millennia, providing food, clothing and livelihoods. Livestock sector is crucial to the national economy of many developing countries since it is a source of food, income, and employment. The livestock sector in developing nations is experiencing difficulties with low productivity due to changes in demographics, socioeconomic circumstances, and climatic variables globally. Sustainable livestock management is the linchpin that harmonizes the need for animal-based products with ecological well-being. Sustainable livestock development is a broad and dynamic term, describes as a system of sufficient and profitable food production (animal products rich in important nutrients include foods such as milk, meat and eggs), to promote a certain scale or pattern of farming, to maximize production and to minimize release of environmentally harmful byproducts of livestock. As in many other developing countries, livestock sector in Pakistan is seen as crucial to reducing poverty and enhancing the nutritional status of the population. However, there is a need for significant improvements in feeding practices and animal productivity to exploit the genetic potential of livestock. Hence to improve nutritional value and utilization of existing feedstuffs, like the utilization of urea, molasses, and enzymes is very crucial to improve feed digestibility and consequently the strategic implementation of technologies for efficient maintenance of biomass from forages is crucial for livestock that are only seasonal in nature. However, new findings and utilization of novel anti-methanogenic feed additives is crucial to develop a viable , productive and environmentally sustainable livestock sector. Future feeding strategies for monogastric animals should incorporate the development and utilisation of novel protein feed ingredients, such as insects raised on indigestible plant residues, to support a circular bioeconomy and enhance productivity, particularly in small-scale poultry production. It is recommended that future policies prioritise the establishment of a productive and sustainable livestock sector in Pakistan by encouraging collaborative efforts between research and industry sectors, as well as by strengthening capacity building and developing research infrastructure.