The devastating floods that swept through Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in August this year inflicted massive damage on livestock and agriculture, sectors that form the backbone of the province’s rural economy.
According to official data, the calamity caused losses worth Rs1.86 billion, threatening to create food shortages in the coming months as nearly 70 per cent of the province’s population depends on agriculture and livestock for its livelihood.
Data released by the K-P Livestock Department revealed that more than 20,000 animals perished in the floods, including 1,251 goats, 568 sheep, 1,101 cows, 922 buffaloes, 1,689 calves, and over 15,200 poultry birds. The department also reported the loss of 128,875 kilograms of feed concentrates and 16,821 tons of roughages. Animal care hospitals in Torghar, Shangla, and Swat sustained serious damage, while 36 animal shelters across the province were completely destroyed.
Officials disclosed the figures during an event organized jointly by Brook Pakistan and the Livestock Department in Peshawar to mark World Animal Day. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Director Livestock Department Asal Khan said the department had been working in flood-affected districts to restore animal health services and minimize further losses.
He noted that climate change was severely affecting both humans and animals, and that livestock, a crucial component of rural livelihoods, had suffered extensive damage.
