Farmer package helps to increase productivity in Punjab
Islamabad, Pakistan: “The decision of setting up of Punjab Kissan Commission and announcement of historic package of Rs 100 billion for the welfare and prosperity of farmers by Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif will further encourage farmers to increase overall productively and yield in Punjab.
The package announced by Punjab government indicates that funds would be spent over the next two years and it also aims to enable the farmers increase per acre yield and contribute to the development of agriculture.
The Kissan Commission will address the problems of farmers and help them keep pace with the world in terms of Agriculture developments. PMLN government last year also announced a special package for farmers worth over 320 billion rupees and this initiative encouraged farmers to make Punjab again a wheat basket for Pakistan”.
These were comments of experts in one of the most popular PTV Current Affairs show “Khabar Kay Sath Sath” that was hosted and anchored by senior journalist Tariq Mehmood Chaudhary while Rana Qaisar and Agha Iqrar Haroon participated in discussion.
Participants were of the view that announcement of Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif while addressing the opening session of Punjab Agriculture Conference 2016 sent a positive message to farmers of remote areas that Punjab government is giving special attention to them and announcement shunned off impression that development in Punjab is only limited to mega cities.
The conference primarily aimed at receiving proposals and suggestions from the farmers, experts, researchers and academia on how to improve Agri sector in the province. Participants were of the view that per acre yield of Pakistan was much lesser comparing to India research sector should also play is role to guide farmers about new technologies and new seeds to enhance per acre productivity in Punjab. Participants also discussed that Agriculture sectors development also need constructions of new dams to provide more sweet water to crops and a better irrigation networking should be a part of farmer package.
They were of the view that protection of crops from floods is the most important issue right now because global warming is playing havoc with farmers in South Asia particularly in Pakistan where crops are damaged by usual rainfalls and floods since last five years.
Participants said that that agriculture and research development are integral part and full attention has not been paid to agriculture research in universities and agriculture research institutions. Participants believed that increase in per acre yield is not possible without transferring modern technology and results of agriculture to the farmers and agriculture planners, government, agriculture research institutions and universities will have to work jointly.
