Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Board (PLDDB) has launched the training of a second batch of 200 Artificial Insemination Assistants (AIAs) under its project entitled ‘strengthening of Artificial Insemination (AI) services through skill development of rural youth’. Two hundred young boys having minimum qualification of matriculation have been selected from four districts, including Bhakkar, Mianwali, Narowal and Sialkot for the second batch. While, the Board had already conducted training of 105 boys (as AIAs) and 105 girls as Women Livestock Extension Workers (WLEWs), hailing from Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts. The aim of this project is to improve the productivity of animals in rural areas by providing AI skills for making youth self-employed, said PLDDB General Manager (Fields Services and Capacity Building) Dr Naveed Niazi, while talking to a group of journalists. He said the skill development of rural youth in livestock sector is a need of the hour for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. He disclosed there is a requirement of 16,000 AIAs in the livestock sector of the province, while shortfall is estimated at over 11,000. To fill this gap, the Board had planned to train 2,000 AIAs in the first phase. Training of the first batch was completed from October to December last year, taking manpower from Southern Punjab and now the second batch has started getting training from the last month. Dr Niazi said training of the next batch of 200 Women Livestock Extension Workers (WLEWs) would also be launched by next month. Giving rationale for women livestock workers, he said 95 per cent of women in rural area manage livestock, thus can contribute a great deal in enhancing the production through better management skills. He said AIAs are getting trained for three months and they will also be provided with AI Kit, mobile phone charges, plus Rs7,000 per month and motorbike (on interest-free instalments) with one litre of free petrol per day to serve the livestock sector.
