Agriculture is a vital sector for developing agri-based economies like Pakistan. It is the lifeline of Pakistan’s economy as it contributes 19.2% to the GDP of Pakistan (Pakistan Economic Survey 2020-21). Features like being a direct as well as an indirect source of employment in rural areas, huge potential for revenue-enhancement, vital contribution to exports, a major source of raw material for the industrial sector, provision of livelihood for rural communities, critical role in enlarging banking sector and massive market for Agri industries like tractor and other farm-machine manufacturing units do indicate that this sector is a key to putting the economy on sustained and robust trajectory.
Over the years, livestock, a subsector of agriculture, has surpassed the crop subsector as the biggest contributor to value added in agriculture. Presently it contributes 60.07 % to the overall agricultural and 11.53% to the national GDP. More than 8 million rural families are engaged in livestock production and derive more than 35-40% of their income from this source. Gross value addition of livestock increased to Rs 1,505 billion (2020-21) from Rs 1,461 billion (2019-20), an increase of 3.0 percent (Pakistan Economic Survey 2020-21). Development in livestock is imperative to enhancing exports and alleviating rural poverty. To further improve this sector state of the art research and development facilities are required in the fields of animal nutrition and feeding management, animal breeding, fodder system, grassland management, product processing and marketing areas of livestock through investment in research, infrastructure development, export of high yielding animal and semen and embryos for genetic improvement of indigenous dairy animal. Therefore, the establishment of research-oriented institutions to impart both technical and vocational education in this sector remains the need of the hour. While realizing the needs of this field, Ziauddin University has initiated degree programs at the Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ziauddin University, Link Road Campus, where research and laboratory facilities, along with technological services are aimed at confronting the challenges faced by both the progressive farmers and developing industries.
ZUVAS is situated at Superhighway Kathore Pull, Link Road. It is located at Link Road, where around 100,0000 animals are already present within its vicinity. From our faculty till Quetta Darbar hotel, a huge number of large and small animals can easily be found. Most of them are found in Gagar Phatak, Dhabechi, Quaidabad, Behns Colony, Malhir and Malhir Nandi, Gharo, Thatta, and Sachal and Safura Villages. ZUFVASCI is at a central point to all these areas. Currently, almost 13 feed mills are present nearer to this faculty. Many chillers and parlors are available within the faculty’s surroundings, cattle crushes are also available at all these animal farms and slaughterhouses. Supply of dry and green fodder is abundantly available near our faculty, as it is supplied via road and railway lines from interior Sindh. Wildlife animal farms are also situated in the nearby vicinity. A mini zoo, with wild birds and animals, has been constructed.