“Production of Meal/Super Insects as Poultry Feed for Employment of Rural Women in Flood Affected Areas of KP” was the title of workshop.
The University of Agriculture, Peshawar’s Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences organized a three-day training workshop on the economic advancement and welfare of women in flood-affected areas on Tuesday in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission. “Production of Meal/Super Insects as Poultry Feed for Employment of Rural Women in Flood Affected Areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” was the title of the workshop.
In their remarks to the workshop, the vice chancellor, professor Dr. Jahan Bakht, the dean, professor Dr. Sarzamin Khan, and the chair of the department of poultry science, professor Dr. Naila Imtiaz, highlighted the significance of mealworms in poultry feed and the potential of insects as a high-quality, effective, and sustainable alternative protein source.
They added that the same could be used in chicken feed in dry or fresh form, and that insects were the cheapest alternative source of protein supplements in poultry feed. They claimed that mealworms were a significant insect with the potential to replace fish and soy in poultry feed as well as serve as an organic feed source in place of protein.
Due to the high-quality feed, they claimed that the poultry would produce eggs and meat with omega-3 fatty acids, which would benefit people with heart disease. In addition, the farming would increase chicken production, giving women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s flood-affected rural areas new opportunities for self-employment.
According to Prof. Dr. Jahan Bakht, the contribution of women to the nation’s development is undeniable, so “this initiative of the Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences will be a milestone in guiding women towards economic self-sufficiency and prosperity.
The majority of economic work done by women is in agriculture, livestock management, fishing, and handicrafts. Rural women have less access to public services like health, education, training, and transportation, as well as modern technology. He claimed that the high cost of the soybeans used in chicken feed is the primary cause of the high prices of chickens today.
As a result, in this workshop, experts are teaching women in rural communities, especially those affected by flooding, how to prepare chicken feed at home quickly and cheaply using mealworms. He claimed that women could also sell this food in the market if they gave it more thought and effort.
In order to lead the nation toward development, he also exhorted the faculty to hold such seminars, conferences, and training workshops and concentrate on new research initiatives. He also emphasized the importance of paying attention to both male and female students’ training.
On this occasion, Dean Faculty of Nutrition Sciences Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ayub, Vice Chancellor University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences and Principal College of Veterinary Sciences Prof. Dr. Umar Siddique, Director Vice Chancellor Secretariat Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zulfiqar, faculty members, students, and women workers of Extension Livestock and Dairy Farm Development Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated. Professor Dr. Sarzamin Khan and Dr. Imran Khan were the organizers of the workshop while Dr. Amjad Usman of the Department of Entomology was the focal person.