Timely crops sowing, climate resilient varieties, soil analysis and rational usage of inputs are imperative to increase the agricultural yield and to ensure the food security. It was echoed at the farmers convention arranged by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad as part of ongoing spring festival. As many as 2000 farmers participated at the convention.
The session was chaired by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Punjab Agriculture (Research) Director General Dr Abid Mehmood, Director General Punjab Extension Dr Anjum Ali Bhuttar, Members Kisan Commission Rana Iftikhar Ahmad and Javed Elauddin and other notables also spoke on the occasion. Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that Pakistan’s agriculture is sustainable compared to the Indian Punjab. He said that the Indian Punjab groundwater had gone down many times due to heavy pumping and sowing of water intense crops. He said that water scarcity issue was also hitting Pakistan also and we have to adopt the efficient irrigation system and less water crops. He called for applying and promoting the latest practices of agriculture as per recommendation of agricultural experts in order to increase the productivity to fight the hunger. He said that the population was increasing whereas land and natural resources are depleting. He said that we had to increase per acre production that will not only ensure the food security but also reduce the poverty from the country. He said that by 2040, the country population will double and we need the two times more productivity. DG Extension Dr Anjum Ali said that the government was giving the subsidy worth Rs 53 billion for the fertilizer maintaining the price of DAP at Rs 2500. He said that the government had launched the project of water irrigation and water usage worth Rs 60 billion. He said extension department was doing it best to provide the training to the farmers and giving the seeds in the 36 districts of the province. DG Agriculture( Research) Dr Abid Mehmood said that the country was the sixth largest producing country in sugarcane; 4th in cotton; 16th in vegetable; 7th in wheat and 13th in rice. He said that the latest practices of agricultural, timely sowing and best breeds will imperative to improve the productivity. He said that the country water level had gone down, putting the country in the water scare county. He said that short term varieties, water efficient crops would help the country face the issue. Dr Muhammad Ashfaq said that the per acre production was very low compared to the rest of the world. Dr Manzoor Ch called for step up efforts on the part of all stakeholders to fight the challenge. Members Kisan Commission Rana Iftikhar Ahmad and Javed Elauddin