Mega projects will be launched for development of agriculture in Bahawalpur and Cholistan desert which will help increase the income of farmers and alleviate poverty in the area.
Chairman, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), Dr Badaruddin Soomro, said while addressing senior scientists of PARC and NARC here on Thursday.
Dr Soomro said scientists should focus their attention to establish a regional capability to tackle the problems of arid areas and develop suitable techniques for the best land use in Cholistan desert.
He further said that scientists should assess the social and economic acceptability of technological innovations and develop suitable methods for the rapid and effective dissemination of information so that farmers could be able to get benefit out of these technologies developed by PARC and NARC scientists.
Dr Soomro said PARC will launch a Mega project in Bahawalpur and Cholistan, through which latest laboratories will be established and manpower will be provided to strengthen the agricultural research for development of agricultural sector in dry areas.
This will bring major change in farming community and will help to alleviate poverty, he added.
Dr Badaruddin Soomro appreciated the efforts of agricultural scientists of this region who have made significant contribution towards the research and development of this area.
He said AZRI, Bahawalpur has done well in the crop sciences, land and water resources, animal sciences, and saline research accomplishments.
It is to be noted that Pakistan Agriculture Research Council provided a lead in increasing productivity of arid and semiarid areas of Pakistan.
It also accepted the challenge of reversing the trend of land degradation that was resulted from misuse and over exploitation of natural resources.
Therefore it established the Arid Zone Research Centre (AZRC) at Quetta, Balochistan, D.I. Khan, Umerkot, Bahawalpur.
The headquarters at Quetta is mostly working for cold desert areas while the other three are taking care of the hot deserts of.
Earlier, Dr Rukhsana Anjum, Director AZRI, Bahawalpur while briefing the Chairman, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, apprised that AZRI produced 9 improved varieties of grafted Ber, viz Soofen, Delhi white, Aloo, Bukhara, Shereen, Ajooba, Kali das, Karela and Umeri special. AZRI provided almost 15,000 scions to NADRI project and Agri.
Extension Department, AJK for budding and grafting. Ber provide an income of Rs 100,000/- acre approximately in addition to other crops which are inter-cultured in the same unit of land.
She told that medicinal plants in collaboration with Islamia university has been identified and wheat, sugarcane, grasses, guar varieties were tested and evaluated.
She told that recently Saline Aqua-culture technique has been initiated which will help find alternate source of animal protein to better feed the poor and malnourished communities of Cholistan desert.