FAISALABAD, Nov 23 (APP):Provincial Minister for Agriculture Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi has said that promotion of modern agri-techniques and research is imperative to further boost the agriculture sector.
After inaugurating the Engro Learning Centre at University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) here on Tuesday.
He said that wheat production in Punjab had increased 1.5 maunds per acre this year and hoped that it would go by 3 maunds by next fiscal year.
He said that 22,000 students of UAF participated in the Punjab government wheat campaign which not only helped promote modern farming methods but also enable the students to get acquainted with the real problems of farmers.
He said the government was taking all possible measures to make agriculture profitable, ensure food security and increase per acre production, that will help alleviate poverty and open up the new avenues for economic growth.
The minister said the agricultural scientists of UAF had rendered immense services for the development of agriculture and hoped that they would enhance their role in tackling the challenges faced by the agriculture sector. He further said that Punjab government had issued Kisan Cards to farmers for providing direct subsidy, under which more than 500,000 farmers had so far registered.
He asked the farmers to complete the registration process as soon as possible so that they could avail the subsidy.
UAF Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said, “Our per acre yield was low due to traditional method of farming community”. He said if the recommendations of agricultural scientists were followed, the production could be doubled. “We could improve the quality of nutrition by mixing wheat and corn”, he said.
Dr Iqrar said that adoption of modern trends to make agriculture a profitable business was the need of hour which would not only ensure food security but also alleviate poverty.
He said that under the Wheat Campaign, 22000 UAF students were visited village to village to equip farmers with modern trends that would open up new avenues for agricultural development.
Engro Chief Executive Officer Nadir Salar Qureshi said that with the establishment of this centre, joint efforts would be made to enhance the research environment and capacity of students.
He hoped that the scientists of UAF would work to develop viable products which would help in tackling the challenges of agriculture.
Later, the minister planted a sapling under the Clean and Green Pakistan campaign.