Provincial Minister for Agriculture, Arbab Muhammad Ayub Jan, said Tuesday the agriculture should be developed on modern scientific lines to cater the consumption needs of people and to resolve the food crises in the province.
Boosting of the agriculture sector would help alleviate poverty, unemployment and price hike from the Province, he said while talking to various representatives of farmers, growers and local bodies' representatives led by Mian Inamullah Jan, ANP leader from Nowshera.
Ayub Jan said the provincial government was taking concrete measures to enhance agricultural products besides raising fruits orchards with a view to reclaim every inch of the land. "The dream of prosperity could only be materialised after restoration of peace in NWFP as peace was the prerequisite for development", he remarked. Provincial Minister said that 250, 0000 acres barren land could be reclaimed in NWFP provided proper measures were taken in this regard.
He said that in a bid to enhance agricultural output of NWFP, it has been divided into four zones adding that out of 56,24,156 acres land of NWFP only 47 percent has irrigational facilities while the rest of 53 percent land was barren. Moreover, he informed that 45 percent people of the province were living below the line of poverty whereas 92 percent farmers were themselves cultivating their lands and were described as small farmers.