KP allocates Rs 600 million for Seed Corporation

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has allocated Rs 600 million for the establishment of KP Seed Corporation. The project is proposed as new initiative in the annual development programme (ADP) for financial year 2016-17 for accelerating agricultural development in the province. The second new initiative is Rs 40 million Project for the Enhancement of Crop Production through integrated Research Approach.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has almost agrarian economy in which agriculture and livestock contribute around 24% of the provincial Gross Domestic Production (GDP). The sector engaged more than 50% of the labour force of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Diversification into horticulture and rural-based agriculture processing units offer promising avenues for increasing the income of rural households.
New schemes including reclamation of degraded soil through soil conservation practices, small farmers land development, productivity enhancement through OFWM interventions and lining/improvement of water courses have also been proposed to help enhance water-use efficiency, minimise water losses, control oil erosion and surface run-off, develop cultivable waste-land to bring more area under crops and enhance productivity.
Similarly, under livestock sector new schemes such as construction and rehabilitation of veterinary institutions and scheme titled Enhancement of Livestock Productivity through integrated research approach in the KP have been proposed for promotion of research and development in livestock sector.
Furthermore, for improvement of fisheries sector and promotion of fish farming a scheme titled Strengthening and Establishment of Fish Hatchery in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Establishment of Fish Aquariums in schools and public places are also proposed in the ADP of the upcoming financial year.
An amount of Rs 3.975 billion have been allocated for 45 projects out of which 32 are ongoing with allocation of Rs 2.821 billion and 13 are new with allocation of Rs 1.154 billion.
Targets set for achievement in agriculture sector included: provision of agriculture, machinery to small land holders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, introduction of agriculture and machinery for small landholders, up-gradation of Kaghan Agriculture Research Station to Research Institute for Development of Winter and High Value Crops, Agriculture Produce and Certification, establishment of Agriculture University of Nowshera for Promotion of High Value Agriculture, Development of Carp Fish, Development of Trout and Cold Aqua Culture, establishment of Insaf Veterinary Clinics and improvement and lining of water courses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.