Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the federal government would allocate full funding for the creation of a locally produced vaccine against Foot and Mouth disease, aiming to bolster the livestock sector’s growth.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister made this announcement during a national seminar titled ‘Harnessing Pakistan’s Livestock Potential’ held in Islamabad. He highlighted the significance of agriculture and livestock as pivotal sectors that could rejuvenate the country’s economy within a year with dedicated and coordinated efforts. The Prime Minister noted that controlling the disease effectively is crucial for increasing livestock exports.

In addition to the vaccine funding, Shehbaz Sharif revealed that 1,000 new agriculture graduates from Pakistan’s provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir would be sent to China for advanced training. This initiative follows a similar effort made last year and will be funded by the government.

During the seminar, the Prime Minister also launched the Pakistan Animal Identification and Traceability System. This initiative aims to enhance productivity in the livestock sector by focusing on genetic improvement, disease control, and strengthened collaboration.