Enabling Economic Productivity

Enabling Economic Productivity

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Southern Area Development Project (KP-SADP), designed through a Community Driven Development (CDD) approach, aims to support the recovery and livelihood needs of the un-served and under-served low income communities of the three crises hit districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa i.e. DI Khan, Tank and Lakki Marwat.

The Project strengthens the capacity of the targeted communities and improves livelihood options by providing opportunities and access to social and productive infrastructure through their active involvement.

The village Long Khair Shah is situated north of Union Council Dhap Shumali, 32 km away from Dera Ismail Khan City. It has around 400 houses with a total population of more than 35,000. Agriculture and livestock are the main source of income. The village women help with taking care of the livestock.

With the support of MDTF’s (Multi Donor Trust Fund’s) Southern Area Development Project (SADP)a Veterinary Center has been rehabilitated in village Long Kher Shah in Union Council (UC) Dhap Shumali, D.I. Khan. Earlier there was no boundary wall around the veterinary center which made it accessible to stray anima

ls. SADP mobilized the community and through a participatory approach, rehabilitated the centre complete with a boundary wall, veranda, rooms, floor, washroom and facilities for water.

As with other interventions in SADP, the programs operate on the principles of transparency, participation, local empowerment, demand-responsiveness, greater downward accountability, and enhanced local capacity. The scheme was demanded and designed by the ‘WEIG Livestock’ Women Economic Interest Group and after the completion of this centre there are around twenty villages that benefit from this facility.

This intervention has facilitated and enabled a key economic activity in the area. Livestock production is the second biggest economic activity after crop husbandry, for the rural population in the country. More than 92 million (67%) people live in the rural areas. Support to rural livestock in remote is thus essential for improving the socio-economic conditions in rural areas. To develop the livestock sector as a whole, the needs of the small landholders, landless livestock owners or tenants are to be met on time.

“The Rehabilitation of Veterinary Center at village Long Kher Shah was our long outstanding need as livestock is the main source of income of this poor community”, says Malik Zahid Nawaz, a prominent social worker of UC Dhap Shumali. “The community organization proposed this scheme on a priority basis. The community members were fully involved and participated in the repair and modification of this center.” Zahid thanked the government and said “the center’s building was old and further deteriorated due to floods. The building has been rehabilitated with necessary facilities and gives a brand new look. The people of around 24 villages in Dhap Shumail and a dozen more villages in the surrounding area now will take benefit from this facility.”

This sentiment was reiterated by Shoukat Javed from the community, ‘“The veterinary center was established around 50 years ago and not repaired since then. Rehabilitation work has happened for the first time and now it is in a position to facilitate the community of more than two dozen villages. We were facing a lot of difficulties due to the non-functionality of the center and people had to take their animals to the city with considerable travelling expenditures. People depend on livestock as a main earning source. With a full functional veterinary centre we will now concentrate on the livestock business.”

The Veterinary Assistant of the center Najibullah is a very relaxed person now. He says “I feel safe and secure. Earlier the staff was reluctant to sit in this center due to its pathetic condition. We felt insecure and thought that the roof might collapse anytime and stray animals inhabited it. We have all the necessary facilities now and sufficient stock of medicine for almost all types of animal diseases.

Dr. Jan Mir Khan, District Director Livestock D. I. Khan thanked the government. He says ‘the rehabilitation of the centre is a good sign for the poor community. They have faced a lot of difficulties in the past for the treatment of their animals. The livestock department has provided new furniture and medicines. People now can maximize the and we do regular vaccination campaigns to protect animals from seasonal diseases”.