LAHORE: Nestlé Pakistan has collaborated with the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences to extend support on research and development projects on food science, food safety, livestock, animal health, and breeding programs. Research-based projects will also focus on dairy innovation, nutrition profiling, and qualitative and quantitative analysis of raw milk and products.
While signing the MoU, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Younus, Vice Chancellor, of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, reiterated the need for strong academia-industry relations. “The last decade has observed a massive change in the livestock sector with increased challenges to fulfill the demand for ever-escalating population. There is a need for commercialization of research and expertise that can significantly contribute towards economic growth and business opportunities within the country,” he said, thanking Nestlé Pakistan’s efforts towards academic research.
Jason Avanceña, Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Pakistan said, “Nestlé has made significant contributions to Pakistan’s dairy value chain over the last three decades, and our partnership with UVAS is another milestone towards the betterment of livestock sector in Pakistan.” He also emphasized the use of In Vitro fertilization (IVF) technology for developing genetic embryos that can improve the cows’ productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “Quality research on nutrition profiling will be a step in fostering robust nutrition, health, and wellness culture in Pakistan,” he further added.
The collaboration will also focus on the importance of dairy nutrition especially on the fortification of dairy products in curbing the nutrition deficiency related to Vitamin A, D, Iron, and Zinc in Pakistan. Additionally, the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (FSHN) at UVAS will extend support to Nestlé Pakistan in terms of product innovation and research-based technical projects.
