Yield increase, food security linked
to adoption of modern agri methods
From Our Correspondent
FAISALABAD: Speakers at a farmers’ convention have said that the government’s Kisan package worth Rs 100 billion would pave the way to uplift the agriculture sector, which is directly linked to poverty alleviation and food security in the country.
The convention was arranged by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad in collaboration with the Public Relations Department, Faisalabad, on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, UAF Vice-Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that encouragement of farmers’ cooperatives, balance use of inputs, model market reforms, adoption of modern agri methods at par with modern world, certified seeds and climate resilient varieties were prerequisites to increase the yield and ensure food security. He said that the mechanism should be devised to decrease the cost of production to make it compatible to the world market. He said that all-out efforts were being made to conduct focused research to meet the challenges of the era on the directions of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Dr Iqrar said that the government was making all-out efforts to address the problems of the farming community and to flourish the agri sector by making it profitable business. He said that the Punjab government had arranged a conference on agriculture to find the solutions to issues being faced by the sector. He said that that population of Faisalabad had increased 100 times from 70,000 to 7,000,000 since 1947, but there was no increase in number of agri markets. He criticised the role of markets committees in the past.
Faculty of Agriculture Dean Dr Abdus Salam said that the country’s population would be doubled by 2050, which would demand more food. He said that climate changes were posing a serious threat to the agri sector. He said that climate resilient varieties were need of the hour. The country was blessed with talent and resources but there was the need to tap the potential, he added.
Canadian Dalhousie University expert Qamar Zaman said that precision was the way to reap maximum productivity by utilising minimum resources through environment friendly measures. He said that the adoption of modern technology would not only increase the production but also ensure the balance use of inputs. He was of the view that 30 per cent fertilizer could be saved by using the said technology.
Dr Joseph said that the cooperative system enabled the farming community to reap the benefits of the advanced technologies. He said that such effective system in Pakistan would increase the productivity and address the problems of the farmers.
UAF Dean Dr Allah Bakhsh said that the country had become water scare country, therefore, we should adopt measures for efficient use of water. Dr Masood Sadiq Butt called for agricultural reforms to address the issue of malnutrition.
Dr Iqbal Zafar called for devising a mechanism for stability in the prices of agricultural commodities. Dr Muhammad Javed said that agricultural land was diminishing. Dr Zafar Iqbal Qureshi said that per acre milk production was low that was an area of concern. Dr Tahir Siddique urged the scientists to pace up efforts for the food security.
