ISLAMABAD - Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoIT) has introduced an innovative application - `Mera Maweshi' which is not only benefiting livestock community but also generating more revenues through enhanced productivity. National Technology Fund (Ignite) is funding this system and has launched it primarily from Mianwali which would be later expanded to other departments. This would help contribute savings of Rs 1billion through enhancing productivity of livestock sector in the country. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ignite, Yusuf Hussain said motivation behind this project is to target remote areas of Pakistan which suffer from unavailability of basic facilities like health, clean water, sanitation, electricity. People living in villages do not have access to good quality veterinary consultants when their animals fall sick. This project aims to address problem of unavailability of proper consultancy by providing an expert system to diagnose livestock diseases.

When contacted Project Manager, Malik Jahan Khan told APP on Thursday that `Mera Maweshi' is an expert system that can diagnose common diseases of livestock which increases dairy production and livestock life. Through this project, 33 diseases can be diagnosed, he added.

The project manager said Rs 1 billion may be saved even if only 10 per cent of disease cases are routed timely. Giving further details, Jahan Khan said the system diagnoses suspected 33 diseases after collecting different symptoms through an easy to use interface. After diagnosis, the user is also given suggestion about possible treatment of the disease.

The mobile application `Mera Maweshi' can be downloaded on android device and also available on web. The application is designed in two languages i.e. English and Urdu and user friendly so as to facilitate illiterate persons.

Pointing out main feature of the project, he said, the project is aimed at addressing problem of unavailability of proper consultancy by providing an expert system to diagnose livestock diseases. "We also suggest possible treatment of diagnosed disease.

If system fails to do a correct diagnosis, it provides facility to contact registered veterinarian. We also guide farmers about doctors available nearest to them," he said. Responding to a question, Mr. Jahan said, about 40 millions population of the country is attached with livestock sector. Pakistan is the 4th largest producer of milk in the world.

In Pakistan, cattle of worth Rs. 10 billion (approximately) die every year due to different diseases and their health is the key challenge being faced by farmers.