Strategy for agriculture sector updated

The federal government has updated the strategy for agriculture sector to promote production and export of high valued crops during the next five years. The government will also enhance productivity of crops through development of new technologies in farming with improved management practices. During July 2005 to June 2010, official sources said the main objectives of the agricultural development would be achieving self-reliance in agricultural commodities, ensure food security and improve productivity of crops.
Under the new strategy evolved for next five years, they said the government has decided that the agricultural research and extension institutions will be strengthened and streamlined to meet the challenges being faced by the farm sector, while major investment will be made for research and technology development.
Sources said that practical training will also be provided to farmers in order to improve their technical knowledge and skill to adopt latest technologies, adding that a mechanism will be evolved to improve and strengthen the linkages among these institutions to make them more effective.
They said that crop productivity will be enhanced through development of high yielding varieties, use of improved and hybrid seed, balanced use of fertilisers and micro-nutrients, integrated pest management, and judicious application of other plant protection measures.
The production of high valued crops, fruits, vegetables and flowers will be increased, and their exports will be promoted by improving their quality, the sources added.
Sources also said that the private sector will be encouraged to establish processing, grading, packaging, and cold storage facilities through provision of liberal credit and other facilities to promote exports, while the programme will be undertaken to enhance the production of oilseeds, horticulture, and tea.
Additional water storage capacity will be developed in order to bring additional area under cultivation, increase cropping intensity and productivity, they said, adding that the use of water will be improved through precision land levelling, lining of water courses, and promoting drip, sprinkler and trickle irrigation system particularly in water scarce areas and for high valued crops.
Sources said that emphasis will be given to crops which require less water, so the area under rice will be reduced, and substituted with cotton, oilseeds and pulses, while the area under sugarcane will be reduced and substituted with sugar-beet and high valued crops.
The farmers will be advised to utilise improved seed, balanced fertiliser and herbicides/pesticides as per recommendations of the scientists, and their quality and timely availability will be ensured, they added.
The adulteration of fertilisers and pesticides will be controlled through legislation by imposing stiff penalties. The electronic media will be extensively utilised to provide information on new productivity enhancing technologies to the farmers.
Appropriate and timely availability of institutional agricultural credit specially for small and medium farmers will be ensured to enable them to purchase essential agricultural inputs. The focus of institutional credit support will also be shifted towards landless tenants, women, and other disadvantaged groups through organising the rural communities.
Farm to market roads will be improved to provide easy access to the farmers to market their produce. The existing markets will be improved and new markets will be established by the district governments and the market committees, while market information system will also be improved.
The support price programme will be continued for wheat, sugarcane, cotton and rice to protect farmers against market volatility.
The programme will be undertaken for the development of cultivable wastelands. The government will encourage corporate agricultural farming by leasing out big chunks of state-owned un-cultivated land to potential investors.
Programmes to control water-logging and salinity through preventive and curative measures will be continued. The use of gypsum will be promoted for amelioration of sodic soils. Research will be undertaken on bio-saline agriculture.
The government has decided that the development of agriculture has linkage with other sectors such as rural development, water resources, industries, poverty alleviation, and environment.
The high growth rates in the agriculture sector will help in poverty alleviation by providing opportunities for employment and development of the rural economy. It will also help in diversification of the rural economy toward agro-based industries and non-farm activities such as livestock, fisheries, and poultry.
The key element in future agricultural development will be conservation and augmentation of water resources. A high priority is already being given to lining of watercourses and construction of small and medium dams. The management of land water resources in a sustainable manner will help in improving the overall environment of the country, sources added.