The NWFP government has launched mega agriculture project in four districts under Malakand Rural Development Programme (MRDP) to enhance the production of fruits and vegetable through environment friendly ways.
These four districts include Swat, Shangla, Buner and Malakand, said a handout issued here on Sunday.
The project aims at reducing use of pesticides and ensuring proper marketing to achieve export targets as well as stabilising socio-economic conditions of farmer's community.
A signing ceremony to this effect was held at Civil Secretariat in presence of Senior Minister Siraj-ul-Haq wherein contract of the project was awarded to Centre for Agriculture Bioscience International (CABI).
Mohammad Ishfaq Khan, Project Director MRDP and Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Poswal, National Director CABI inked the agreement.
Provincial Secretary Agriculture, Zaibullah Khan, Secretary Planning and Development, Syed Manzoor Ali Shah Bacha, Director Livestock Research and Development, Dr. Mohammad Fida, Higher Scientific Officer, Fazal Hamid and two programme officers of the project were also present on the occasion.
The project will cost Rs 40 million and will be completed in three years where in MRDP will finance while CABI will train 100 professionals, technical staff of Agriculture Department and 8000 farmers in adoption of environment friendly agriculture practices, reduce excessive use of pesticides and thus produce export quality and contamination tree fruits and vegetables.
Meanwhile, the NWFP Senior Minister Siraj-ul-Haq while addressing a meeting prior to the signing ceremony said that this project was essential for training the farmers and agriculture officials to overcome the growing complaints about our fruits and vegetables contamination due to excessive use of pesticides.
It not only posed threat to human health but certain foreign export consignments were also returned rendering harm to our essential image and potential loss to our farmer's community, Siraj added.
He asked the officials concerned to focus on achieving objectives of the project in best possible manner.
Comments
Comments are closed.