Solve Agri and Dairy Institute™ (SADI) has conducted special training programme on “Commercial Dairy Farming” for Pioneer Pakistan Seed Ltd. The three day course was attended by Pioneer
Pakistan Seed’s field staff including District Sales Agronomists (DSA), Customer Service
Agronomist (CSA) and Sales Officers (SO). The objective of the training was to impart practical
knowledge about dairy farming on commercial scale in order to make them effective in guiding and supporting dairy farmers in their respective areas. Dairy farm feasibility, site and animal selection, Housing and sheds construction, basics of animal nutrition, nutritional requirements and ration balancing, Nutritional deficiencies, feeding management, Heat stress management, standard operating procedures, economics of dairy farming were the major areas focused during the training. Experts with hands-on and practical knowledge were invited to conduct training sessions. Participants were provided with the opportunity to learn and clarify their concepts about modern practices required to be adopted in commercial dairy farming. A study tour was also arranged to Zacky Dairies to give an insight on commercial dairy farms being run through an integrated farming including dairy farming, vegetable production through tunnel farming, fisheries, poultry and organic agriculture through bio-fertilisers and energy production through bio-gas. Participants took special interest in learning farm practices including housing, feeding, milking operations, cow handling, bio-gas production, etc.
The training was concluded with the certificate distribution ceremony held on Saturday 31st of December 2011 at Solve Agri Dairy Institute™. Mr Hafiz Wasi Muhammad Khan (Head of Farms & Agri Division, SAPPL), Dr Waseem Shaukat (Incharge Solve Agri & Dairy Institute™), Dr Tariq Javed (National Sales Manager, SAPPL), Dr Asif Ali Shah (Country Manager, Pioneer Pakistan Seed Ltd) and Mr Ghulam Mustafa (Market Development Manager, Pioneer Pakistan Seed Ltd) were present at this occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Asif Ali Shah expressed his gratitude to Solve Agri and Dairy Institute™ on conducting such an impressive training programme exclusively for Pioneer’s staff that provided an opportunity to interact with experienced trainers, which is conducive to the learning environment. He urged training participants to implement the newly acquired knowledge in the field to transform the subsistence dairy farming towards commercial and profitable farming. He said that Pioneer Pakistan Seed, being the important stakeholder in this sector, realises the critical role it has to play and hence is very much focused on having right capacity in its staff. He assured that Pioneer Pakistan Seed will continue capacity building measures for its staff in future.
Hafiz Wasi Muhammad Khan addressing at this occasion, cherished the participants on their highest thirst to learn new aspects of modern dairy farming. He said that it has been a great pleasure to see that Solve Agri Dairy Institute™ is offering customised training programmes that fit best to serve the needs of the respective organisations. He said Pioneer Pakistan Seed has got a pivotal role to play in uplifting the dairy sector in Pakistan and SADI is always ready to put in all the efforts required to build capacity of the field staff.
Dr Waseem Shaukat (In charge Solve Agri Dairy Institute™) in his concluding remarks said dairy sector is at an important crossroads and there is a great need to intervene through modern knowledge and commercial aspects of dairy farming. He lauded Pioneer Pakistan Seed for considering their staff’s capacity building, as an effective tool for better customer services, and anticipated that the training participants will be able to benefit the farming community through the knowledge and concepts they have gained during the training programme about commercial and profitable farming. He urged that such capacity building initiatives should continue in future in order to develop the sector on sustainable basis.
Later Dr Asif Ali Shah, Hafiz Wasi Muhammad Khan and Dr Tariq Javed distributed certificates among the training participants.
