Chief minister's Kitchen Gardening programme: 100 percent seed packets' sale target achieved

The Punjab Agriculture Department has achieved hundred per cent sale target of seed packets for Chief Minister's programme of promotion of Kitchen Gardening in Punjab. This was told to Minister for Agriculture Punjab Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh in a progress review meeting here on Wednesday.
Secretary Agriculture Punjab Arif Nadeem said that sale target of 170,000 seed packets of eight winter vegetables was fixed whereas 177,000 seed packets were sold. During the briefing it was said that Punjab Agriculture Department is developing database of all seed purchasers and so far contact details of more than 70,000 people have been compiled. It was further informed that 10,740 training programmes for kitchen gardening activities have been conducted throughout the Punjab province wherein 244,164 farmers have been trained whereas 153 road shows and rallies were also conducted.
An awareness campaign through print and electronic media has also been launched. While expressing satisfaction, Minister for Agriculture underlined that substantial portion of domestic needs can be met through promotion of kitchen gardening. He directed the Agriculture Department to continue promotion of kitchen gardening in the coming years so that people could be able to get cheaper, fresh and organic vegetables at their homes. He further directed to contact people who have purchased seed packets for technical guidance and dissemination of technology for growing vegetables especially at homes. He also directed to collect their feedback about the programme for further planning.
Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr Anjum Ali, Director General Agriculture Research Dr Noor-ul-Islam, Director Vegetable Research Institute Dr Shahid Niaz, Director Floriculture Malik Abid Mehmood, Deputy Secretary Information Nighat Siddique Chaudhry and other high officials of Punjab Agriculture Department were also present.