Success Stories: Empowering Rural Youth through USAID-DRDF Dairy Project

The project provides training to young, educated rural men in artificial insemination techniques, enabling them to offer services to dairy farmers and improve livestock health and breed. The overall goal is to increase milk production and incomes of farmers. Artificial Insemination Technicians (AITs) trained under the project are equipped with skills to detect an animal's heat, perform rod passing, palpitation test, and conduct accurate pregnancy tests. These technicians are able to earn a steady income, with some earning up to PKR 14,000 per month. They also offer value addition services, such as pregnancy diagnosis, to supplement their income. As of August 2015, over 2,168 AITs have been trained and are providing breed improvement services to farmers in over 20,000 villages across Pakistan. The average income of these AITs is PKR 10,500, which is a significant increase from their previous income. The project aims to train 2,445 AITs, with the goal of improving the livelihoods of rural communities through the adoption of best dairy farming practices. Farmers trained under the project learn improved feeding and animal nutrition, basic level animal health management, shed management, and the importance of improved breeds through artificial insemination. These trainings enable farmers to increase milk yields of their animals and subsequently boost their incomes. For example, Azam Bashir from Basti Sheen Mar Moza Qadir wah Tehsil, District Vehari, increased his animals' milk yield from 55 to 75 liters on an average, resulting in a three-month income increase from PKR 60,000 to PKR 80,000. The project's success stories highlight the impact of the trainings on the lives of rural youth and dairy farmers. Muhammad Shabir, an AIT, was able to earn almost PKR 6,000 per month and support his family, while Muhammad Ghufran increased his income from PKR 8,000 to PKR 14,000 per month. These individuals are now able to provide a steady income for their families and are motivated to continue their work as AITs. The USAID-DRDF Dairy Project's efforts to transform livelihoods of rural communities through the adoption of best dairy farming practices have shown promising results. The project's focus on empowering rural youth and dairy farmers has led to significant improvements in milk production and incomes of farmers, ultimately contributing to the economic development of rural communities in Pakistan.