Lahore: Punjab Agricultural Department (PAD) Director General Agriculture Extension Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali recently announced that the federal government and PAD are set to launch agricultural mega-projects worth a total of PKR 26 billion, a news source reported. The announcement was made while speaking to a delegation of the Agriculture Journalists Association (AJA).
The programmes will focus on the mechanisation and seed replacement of rice, sugarcane, and wheat. They will also promote oilseeds. Research for improving productivity to make the farming sector more profitable for rural areas will be an important aspect of the projects. The goal for PAD while launching these projects is to provide relief and new technology to increase the crop yield and decrease the cost of overall production.
PKR 12.5 billion is being invested in one comprehensive project for wheat production, for which the provincial and federal governments will have a 60/40 share, respectively. A project worth PKR 2.048 billion has also been planned to increase sugarcane yields and mechanise sugarcane farming. A similar project for rice worth PKR 6.327 billion is also being launched. One programme worth PKR 5.115 billion is being launched in order to decrease the dependency of the country on imported oilseeds.
During the conference, the DG suggested that the government and companies investing in tree plantation drives should plant fruit-bearing trees to improve public health and possibly decrease malnutrition, while curbing the climate change problem.
