Agriculture sector opposes granting NDMA/MFN status to India

The Agriculture Task Force (ATF) of Pakistan-India Joint Business Forum (PIJBF) is vehemently opposition granting Non-Discriminatory Market Access/Most Favoured Nation (NDMA/MFN) to Asian country at this stage.

President, Farmers Associates West Pakistan (FAP) and Co-Chair of Agriculture Task force, PIJBF, Tariq Bucha in an exceedingly letter sent to the federal commerce minister has highlighted that agriculture sector, that is far and away the largest leader within the country, flatly opposes granting NDMA/MFN to Asian country until correct preparations are completed on our facet to guard our sectors from huge Indian subsidies, and find important market access from Asian country for Pakistani merchandise, to make sure the amount enjoying field as per the need ordered down within the cupboard call of bissextile day, 2012.

Unnecessary haste with that the govt of West Pakistan is continuing to open Wagah border and to over 137 things before Asian country lowers its agriculture tariffs and removes every kind of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and healthful and Phyto healthful (SPS) barriers that are undermining our negotiating leverage and position. "For Agriculture turn out and product, Wagah route can't be opened any longer, till a separate bilateral agri-trade agreement is negotiated involving stakeholders together with FAP, and is finalised and signed, supported associate impartial and freelance study for that purpose," he said.

Moreover, he said, SAFTA doesn't apply absolutely to the complexities concerned underneath the World Trade Organization regime with relevance agriculture. it's a 15-page agreement with incomplete annexes, and needs important and severe redefining, restructuring and amendments with careful neutral input and approval, just in case it contemplates agri trade between the countries owing to huge current and future subsidies given to agriculture in Asian country that ar an indicator of unfair trade.

Nowhere will the SAFTA agreement need West Pakistan to terminate its sensitive list in 5 years. "Pakistan's agriculture sector vehemently opposes any longer phasing out of agricultural things from the sensitive list. we've got scan the SAFTA Agreement rigorously, and apprehend that there's no such categorical demand. Any reductions created on the sensitive list ar discretionary, and despite the fact that a review of the list is needed each four years, a 'review' doesn't need a discount in it," he declared.

Within the ASEAN regime, that may be a way more sturdy FTA than SAFTA, as an example, there ar things that stay for good on a "highly sensitive list", he said, adding that any representatives of the govt of West Pakistan United Nations agency agrees to needless reductions of the sensitive list should apprehend that they'd be doing therefore with none legal demand, and would be violating the principle of keeping tier enjoying field that was set down within the aforesaid cupboard call, within the wake of the big subsidies given by the Indian government.

He steered that to effectively counter the big subsidies on agriculture before gap Wagha and granting NDMA/MFN to Asian country, the govt of West Pakistan should initial place in situ tariff rate quotas per crop that equal the grant given to every crop on the Indian facet, to make sure tier enjoying field. "The on top of steps should be verified by FAP, representing the agri-sector. Once that's done, we tend to may move forward on negotiating a separate agri-trade agreement for bilateral trade with Asian country," he added.

It has been discovered within the letter that granting NDMA means Wagah ought to still be closed to all or any Indian merchandise, as a result of no different country's merchandise comes through Wahga. "Therefore, if all merchandise are restricted from Wagah, that might accommodates Non-Discriminatory Market Access. By granting Wagah access to over 137 Asian countryn merchandise would quantity to granting India even additional favourable terms than needed by a grant of NDMA/MFN. Granting Wagah access to over the present agriculture things can considerably weaken Pakistan's economy, and already beleaguered agriculture sector," he said.

Tariq declared that Congress Party is probably going to lose within the coming elections in {india|India|Republic of Asian country|Bharat|Asian country|Asian nation} thus the agriculture sector powerfully opposes granting NDMA/MFN to India notably once the new Indian government is merely few months away and will lift any concessions that ar given to West Pakistan by the outgoing Congress government. 'At this juncture, National Tariff Commission (NTC) doesn't nevertheless have the capability or provisions to effectively counter unfair trade practices like the anticipated selling and significant subsidisation of agricultural merchandise by the Indian facet,' he said.

Before giving any longer trade concessions to the Indian facet, he same the Ministry of Commerce should demonstrate that the NTC has the power, capability and therefore the powers to effectively defend Pakistan's agriculture from the anticipated onslaught of unfair Indian trade practices of selling and significant subsidization. "Since 2011, the Ministry of Commerce has acknowledged that the NTC lacks such capability, and nevertheless the NTC has not visibly improved. The Ministry of Commerce thus cannot in sensible conscience open Wagah or to over 137 things before it may build a strong NTC'.

Concluding Tariq same, though the agriculture sector isn't loth to trade with Asian country in an exceedingly structured, phased and effectively negotiated agreement, we tend to feel that the govt of West Pakistan has so far did not improve the capability of its establishments or place in provisions to afford required protection to its domestic sectors, to assist survive the anticipated onslaught of Indian agricultural turn out and product. 'Thus, till such time that the govt of West Pakistan demonstrates that it's serious concerning safeguarding Pakistan's domestic agriculture from unfair competition, we'll oppose any move for granting NDMA/MFN and additional gap of Wagah'.

Source Business Recorder 

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Is your organic produce really pesticide-free?

The unimaginable success and sustained growth of the organic movement over the past many decades has LED to several positive changes for the overall food offer, that embrace the enhanced convenience of unpolluted food. however there's a standard misperception among several within the natural health community that every one organic food, and significantly all organic manufacture, is adult mistreatment fully no pesticides, herbicides, or different external inputs.

In truth, some organic foods square measure, indeed, adult with chemical inputs, which can return as a surprise to some. however the great news is that these inputs aren't constant because the inputs used on standard manufacture, and don't contain any artificial ingredients. In most cases, natural and organic pesticides square measure developed fully from plant and herb parts, and truly promote the health of each plants and soil.

Depending on the dimensions, scope, and focus of a specific organic farm, variable cultivations standards will be de jure utilized and still be thought-about organic. Small-scale, family-operated biodynamic organic farms, as an example, is also ready to with success grow all their manufacture mistreatment fully no chemical interventions any, whereas larger-scale organic farms may have to use bound chemical solutions to their crops in accordance with the official organic standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"Organically created fruits and vegetables square measure adult in an setting absent of artificial chemicals, yes, however the notion that they are adult while not chemicals in the slightest degree is fake," explains Doug Smith from ElephantJournal.com regarding the difficulty. "The reality is, most state laws enable organic farmers to spray an entire gamut of chemical sprays, powders and pellets on their organic crops. That is, if they're 'organic' or natural chemical sprays, powders and pellets."

Some organic inputs could have questionable safety records, say some
Are these approved-for-organic growing chemicals safe? affirmative, however presumably no, in step with some. because it seems, bound natural pesticides and pesticides like rotenone-pyrethrin, as an example, or Spinosad, is also probably harmful to humans. the previous was joined in a very 2011 study printed within the journal Environmental Health views to probably inflicting brain disease, whereas the latter is claimed to be extremely cyanogenetic to insects and fish.

Sure, not all organic crops square measure adult mistreatment these chemicals -- several organic growers, in fact, really do use solely all-natural cultivation ways that cause no risks to human health. however some organic crops, as well as some types of organic lettuce, have allegedly tested considerably higher certainly organic-approved pesticides and herbicides than their standard counterparts have for rather more harmful artificial pesticides and herbicides.

What will this mean for you and your family? whereas the goal here isn't to tarnish the organic label in any means -- organic certification is presently the most effective and most trustworthy system we've for regulation the assembly and sale of unpolluted, chemical-free food -- it's vital that readers bear in mind of the very fact that chemicals square measure still generally used on organic foods. Natural News readers can recall that we have a tendency to self-addressed this issue recently because it pertains to organic apples, a number of that square measure de jure sprayed with antibiotics to shield against leaf blight.

At constant time, organic growers WHO are within the business for years insist that even if bound organic growing chemicals is also used on some organic crops, the follow is safer and much superior to traditional growing ways. One organic farmer, commenting on Smith's assessment of the difficulty, states: "I've ne'er place something on my crops that i could not eat," and goes on to elucidate that his ways square measure a lot of safer for the earth and other people "than what I did before i used to be organic." and plenty of others within the field echo this sentiment.

Sources for this article include:
http://www.elephantjournal.com
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110214115442.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com

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Canadian government to review 23 pesticides banned in Europe

Have any plan of what percentage chemicals are introduced into our environments since WWII? A half-decade agone, the count* was over eighty,000. Some square measure used for large atomic number 47, some square measure in medicines and processed foods, toys and home items, and a few of them square measure within the air and water.

Industrial chemicals, most of that square measure barely tested by the those that build them, square measure omnipresent. Most toxicities square measure typically not complete till huge adverse health reports square measure created. we are the guinea pigs, the canaries within the mine for the chemical firms that lie all the thanks to the bank.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), what is left of it, is short-handed and engulfed by the constant barrage of freshly factory-made chemicals. they don't seem to be nonetheless held with the older chemicals that are in industrial use for many years. The higher management positions at the Food and Drug Administration, executive department and Environmental Protection Agency square measure corrupted by business lobbyists and former business insiders WHO make the most of the revolving door system that promotes favoritism at the upper levels of business and government.

Here's a "legal" trick that chemical firms use to cover their products' toxicity. restrictive agencies solely look into the active ingredients of pesticides and herbicides. however there square measure different chemicals in a very product that square measure meant to spice up the active ingredient. the precise formulas square measure withheld as proprietary trade secrets. The Uniform Trade Secrets Act supports this secrecy while not reference to health or ecological implications. company profits trump public welfare de jure.

For example, Monsanto's Roundup contains glyphosate as its active ingredient, thus that is all that gets tested. Since it's in many herbicides already, Roundup gets rubber-stamp approval while not reference to the key "inert" merchandise that are literally adjuvants.

However, there has been another polemic study by the parents that brought US those rats with gross tumors when their long-run exposure to GMO corn and Roundup.

Seralini and also the boys within the research lab analyzed all the inert ingredients of 9 major chemicals and discovered that each one however one pesticide contained inert ingredients additional harmful than their active ingredients. Roundup was the worst.

Sometimes it is the natural action of these ingredients combined, and generally it's one or 2 alone which will be worse than the active ingredients. (GM Watch, supply below)

Canadian activists push for investigation of pesticides and herbicides employed in Canada
In August of 2013, Ecojustice filed four lawsuits strict that Health Canada examine twenty nine pesticides illegal in Europe. Canadian federal law mandates that any pesticides or herbicides illegal by even one nation of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development should be evaluated for safety in Canada.

At first, the tormenter Management administrative unit (PMRA) of Canada refused. then again attorneys for Ecojustice started taking part in hardball with lawsuits strict the administrative unit to fits federal law. therefore the agency united to review twenty three of the twenty nine chemicals, one amongst that could be a common weed killer anonymous  within the supply article, in all probability Roundup.

Four of the remaining six chemicals still have restricted use in Europe, and 2 don't seem to be employed in Canada. therefore the six chosen to not be reviewed stands with each side in agreement. Consequently, the PMRA requested that Ecojustice drop its proceedings, considering it superfluous and unwarranted in light-weight of their plans to review those twenty three chemicals.

Source: Natural News

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Grow your own pharmaceuticals

It's very straightforward to grow powerful medicines which will lower your sterol, shield your heart, scale back your risk of upset, enhance system perform, and shield you from polygenic disease and lots of different chronic diseases. each plant could be a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant provided naturally. It's sort of a multi-million dollar pharmaceutical laboratory that takes raw materials and converts them into healing medicines. It will this freed from charge, while not asking something back from you aside from a bit little bit of care, some water, and a few daylight.
If you're thinking that regarding however plants operate, they are quite exceptional producing engines. They take nutrients out of the soil, greenhouse gas out of the air, water, and photons from daylight. Then, through a fancy system of metabolism and chemical change, plants manage to convert those components into healing phytonutrients, together with vitamins, enzymes, wholesome oils, fiber, proteins, and sophisticated carbohydrates. and they turn out all of those fantastic phytochemicals that we're currently learning additional regarding in terms of preventing, and even reversing, chronic diseases like cancer.

Plants offer you an additional factor, too: the energy of life. this can be another variety of nutrition, that I decision "vibrational nutrition." It's one thing that you simply cannot get from synthesized pills or factory-made foods. you'll be able to solely dig from plants, as a result of it's to try and do with the energy of living, respiration organisms.

For nearly each chronic unwellness, there's a plant which will treat it. area unit you battling cancer? Grow yourself some garlic, onions, and broccoli. area unit you battling high cholesterol? Grow and eat some blueberries. area unit you littered with macular degeneration? you'll be able to grow a good form of berries. If you are within the right climate, you'll be able to grow nut trees that offer wholesome oils right off the tree. In fact, despite what style of climate you are in, there area unit plants as healing drugs which will be grownup in your region, whether or not you are within the nice white north, or the jungles of Central America. whether or not you are in a very dry desert climate, the plains, forest, rainforest, swampland, the icy north, the mountain range, or the Smoky Mountains, there area unit plants you'll be able to grow which will facilitate heal you.

This is one in every of the most areas of analysis on that i am focusing without delay. i am performing on finding new ways in which for individuals to additional simply grow plants that have a healing potential. i might wish to share with you what I've learned to date, so invite you to remain up-to-date, as a result of there is a ton additional sensible info coming near this subject. One goal I actually have is to make or promote some type of device which will perform as a home pharmaceutical manufacturing plant, with which individuals will plant seeds and primarily get pleasure from a inactive operation that grows these plants while not requiring a lot of effort on their half.

It's quite silly to pay $100 per pill to a pharma once you will grow more practical and safer prescribed drugs right in your own residence, balcony, or curtilage. In fact, the word "pharmaceutical" suggests that "plant drugs." The word "pharma" has identical root utilized in the word "farming," after all. therefore medicines extremely do have their origins in plants. It's solely through the atrocious politics of pharmaceutical corporations these days that folks have forgotten the plant origins of drugs. What i am hoping to try and do is assist you come back to to the plants, as a result of the plants have the healing characteristics that we want.

For widespread adoption, we want one thing that works while not soil. Soil works nice for the outside, however if you actually desire a system that works for people that do not have yards, soil is clearly not the thanks to go. There area unit currently plant growing technologies accessible that grow plants much more with efficiency with much better yields than with soil. they are not essentially new, though there area unit some new technologies rising in these fields. i am talking regarding tank farming and aeroponics. tank farming has been around for quite an whereas. it's the growing of plants in nutrient solutions that haven't any soil. Basically, you are exposing the plant roots to liquids containing the nutrients required to grow. this can be achieved through Associate in Nursing ebb-and-flow agriculture system, or another agriculture configuration.

You may be shocked to be told that you simply will grow plants while not soil. the fact is that the soil is simply a medium that holds nutrients for the plants. therefore if you get obviate the soil, however still offer the nutrients to the plant roots, they are going to be simply fine. In fact, you'll be able to increase yields through this method versus growing them in soil. I've done this myself in several experiments, within which I've planted identical plants in soil vs. a agriculture system. I actually have found a lot of quicker growth and bigger yields in a very agriculture system. agriculture systems do need electricity, and that they take some effort to be told the way to operate properly. however they will be terribly profitable. they are additionally much more moveable than growing plants in soil, as a result of it's easier to maneuver a receptacle, a timer, and a pump than it's to maneuver four hundred lbs of soil.

If you would like to spice up yields on the far side those achieved by agriculture systems, a stronger system to use is Associate in Nursing aeroponic system. this can be what you see at the Epcot Center in American state, wherever agriculture scientists area unit victimisation this technology to grow vertical stands of plants. They basically spray the roots with a nutrient resolution on regular intervals.

Spraying the roots of a plant each quarter-hour with this nutrient resolution has benefits over the agriculture approach, as a result of you are able to make even additional expanse between the nutrients in your liquids and also the roots of the plant. In my expertise, Associate in Nursing aeroponic system produces considerably bigger yields than the agriculture system. If you're thinking that regarding what is chargeable for that increase, you understand that it is the bigger expanse of the smaller droplets of water being sprayed on the roots.

You can purchase home-built aeroponic systems on the web. None of them area unit extremely elegant, however they work, and that they do turn out outstanding plant yields. Right now, i am growing tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, herbs, strawberries and even watermelons on aeroponic systems. Plant growth is extremely aggressive, though i'm having some challenges obtaining the tomato plants to fruit (it's in all probability simply a nutrient oversight on my half, thanks to my relative ignorance in plant chemistry).

When i am able to retire these plants for the season, i am going to snap some photos of the foundation mass to indicate you simply however effectively aeroponic growth systems are often. you will be completely astonied at however quickly and sharply these plant root networks will grow.

The bottom line here is that i feel home-grown plants area unit aiming to create an enormous comeback within the years ahead, and we're aiming to see nutrient-rich styles of plants (like red carrots with lycopene) that treat and forestall chronic unwellness, in addition to new technologies that permit hands-free cultivation of healing plants. After all, World Health Organization has to build a $100 million drug manufacturing plant once nature will manufacture all the medication you wish for the value of one or two of seeds? I say, let nature build the medicines.

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IDA may give $160 million for rehabilitation of barrages in Sindh

International Development Association (IDA) can possible provide to produce $160 million for Sindh Barrages Improvement Phase-I Project to safeguard the reliable supply of water to regarding a million hectares through the rehabilitation of the Guddu barrage and therefore the improvement of O&M capability of the Irrigation and Power Department.
According to IBRD report, Pakistan's agricultural sector is sort of altogether enthusiastic about irrigation. Irrigated land provides over ninety p.c of agricultural production. Agriculture in most areas isn't doable while not irrigation as a result of the climate of Asian country.
Annual rain over abundant of the realm isn't over 150mm each year with high evaporation rate, starting from one,250mm to 2,800mm each year. Given temperature change and high increase rates, current varieties of water resources management square measure wide recognised as being unsustainable and inadequate to confirm future water convenience for food security, economic process, and therefore the wants of the setting, report mentioned. IBRD report mentioned that the barrages square measure strategic hydraulic assets.
Barrages square measure wont to raise the water level within the watercourse in order that irrigation water is amused to the most and link canals by gravity for varied uses. Barrages also are used for watercourse management and flood management, act as a supply of water system for all sectors of the economy, perform as bridges over rivers, and square measure usually used for utility crossings like gas pipelines. Therefore, the condition and therefore the safe and reliable operation of a barrage have extensive implications for the resource and economic process of all sectors of society. Guddu barrage has major issues of safety. The other, Sukkur barrage, is one in every of the oldest and serves regarding 3 million area unit of agricultural land. It conjointly has many issues of safety. The Kotri barrage was restored in 2000.

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Olive Cultivation-Bringing Peace to FATA

Olive Plantation Initiatives

45% land of FATA is suitable for olive cultivation

(GIS study conducted by IOA and PODB)

Most suitable areas includes

–Bajaur 79,899 ha (53.4 %)

–Mohmand 75,167 ha (34.2 %)

–Kurram 93,676 ha (19.1 %)

–SWA 37,134 ha (6.4 %)

–NWA 51,319 ha (15.3 %)

Why Olive Plantation

• Plant of Marginal land

• Minimum land preparation cost

• Minimum inputs cost

• High rate of return

• Simple value addition

• Wide range of products

• Fruit bearing life >900 years

• Suitable for many areas

• Can reduce import bill

• Great export potential

Issues/challenges

• Sustenance of farmers

• Security concerns in FATA

• Farmers education & training

• Limited saplings available

• Infrastructure (road, market)

• Water scarcity

Implementation Strategy

• Implementation to start from FR/closer to settled areas

• Ownership of Politicians, PAs, Maliks and Notables

• Selection of areas with irrigation resources

• Sustenance of poor growers

• Free distribution of saplings

• Monitoring through satellite imagery/third party audit

• Training of farmers

• Small oil extraction units to be developed by ABEI, PARC

Benefits

• Environmental improvement

• Marginal land utilization

• Development of village entrepreneurship

• Employment generation

• Livelihood improvement

• Export potential

Source: Presentation highlight taken from Pakistan Agriculture Research Council Website for original Presentation Click Here

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Growers urged to complete sunflower sowing

Punjab Agriculture Department (PAD) has warned the growers to immediately complete sunflower sowing as further delay will result in lower per acre yield. A spokesman of the Department said here on Monday that best time for spring plantation of sunflower in Southern Punjab including Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan Division is till February 10. While in Sahiwal, Faisalabad and Sargodha Division best time for sowing is till February 15 and for Lahore, Gujranwala and Rawalpindi Division the suitable time is till end of February. He further stated that the growers should adopt latest technology to get maximum per acre production.

^{Source: Business Recorder}

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What is Ebb and Flow Hydroponics and How Does it Work?

Ebb and flow hydroponics is a method of growing plants hydroponically that is known for its reliability, simplicity of operation and low cost of investment. Pots or a flood tray are filled with a grow media such as gravel, clay pellets, lava rock etc. These do not function like soil or add nutrition to the plants but will anchor the roots and will function as a temporary reserve of water and nutrients. The hydroponic solution floods the system four to six times a day and is allowed to drain away in between flood cycles.
With this system a water tight flood tray or pot, containing either clean gravel, clay pellets or lava rock is used as the rooting medium. The system is then periodically flooded for short periods of time (5 to 15 minutes) with a nutrient solution pumped from a reservoir. By placing the reservoir below the flood tray, with a over flow drain, the nutrient solution can drain back by gravity through the pump with the same line that supplied the water and nutrients during the flood cycle. Our favorite media is lava rock with this type of system. Lava rock drains quickly and traps air and will not leave a clay residue if using clay pellets, which can clog the water pump after time.

Aeration of an ebb and flood system is one of the most important things of the system. Let me explain, when the system floods it is in a deep water culture mode. Your reservoir may contain an air delivery system such as a air stone to keep the water saturated with oxygen and eliminate a pathogen problem. During the flood cycle the oxygenated air is pumped into the tray or bucket for 5 to 15 minutes. During this 5 to 15 minute period there is no additional air and oxygen being supplied to the tray or bucket. So even though you are now in deep water culture mode your plants are not receiving the amount of air and oxygen as if they were in a deep water culture system. The reason why is a deep water culture system has air constantly pumped into the reservoir 24 hours a day in which the roots are submerged. During the ebb cycle, or draining of the tray or bucket, air is now pulled down into the grow media supplying oxygen to the plants. At this point until the next flood cycle the roots again are being deprived of fresh air and oxygen.

Drawbacks to Ebb and flood hydroponic systems:
1. Pathogens in reservoir, flood tray or pot due to stagnated water during drain time which can contaminate the entire system due to the shared water source.
2. Limited amount of oxygen available during flooding of tray or pot.
3. Limited amount of oxygen available while in the ebb or drain stage.

Is there a solution to the problem above?  Ebb and flow hydroponic system to help eliminate the problems above. By adding Air Injection Technology at the very bottom of the media in your current flood tray or pot you will eliminate the drawbacks to a ebb and flood hydroponic system. You will also increase the plants growth rate and have healthier plants. 1. Pathogens in the flood tray or pot are eliminated because there is a constant supply of oxygen 24 hours a day weather in the flood stage or drain stage. 2. Constant supply of oxygen during the flood stage just like true deep water culture. 3. During the ebb or drain stage there is constant air being delivered to the plants roots 24 hours a day weather in the flood or drain stage. This will bring your current Ebb and flow hydroponics system up to date and will allow you to take full advantage of your ebb and flood hydroponics system at minimal cost.

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DAAM win 3rd Position in Pakistan Nature Carnival at PAF museum

Overview:

WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with Horlicks Pakistan organised a fun-filled Nature Carnival at PAF Museum. The Nature Carnival attracted up to 30,000 individuals from various walks of life.
There were over 150 stalls set-up by schools, colleges and universities. The main competition revolved around 3D models set up by students of schools and universities. Expert judges including foresters, conservationists, and environmental historians amongst others graded the models.
Families, corporate and academia representatives including principals attended the carnival. Participants were engaged in eco-friendly games, puppet shows, lucky draw and other activities set up by WWF-Pakistan including pin the tail on the snow leopard and thematic art competitions.
Chief Guest at the event was famous Pakistani drama and film actress Atiqa Odho. She said that each and every one of us should start taking care of the things we need for our survival including forests, water and all our natural resources so that we can give a thriving planet to our children and their children.

DAAM win 3rd Position in Pakistan Nature Carnival at PAF museum:

Department of Agriculture and Agribusiness Management (DAAM) win third position under university category, DAAM represent Hydroponics model system for vegetable and fruit cultivation, hydroponics or soil-less farming system is one of the most discuss technology around the globe, hydroponics is the only solution to fulfill the requirement of world vegetable requirements.

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Hydroponic growing leads to tastier vegetables

Growing vegetables hydroponically leads to a more expensive, but tastier veggie, cumberlink.com reports.

Tomatoes are the king crop in hydroponics because of the demand for them in early spring and late fall when field tomatoes aren't available. The challenge is to sell them at $2.99 per pound when field tomatoes are going for 99 cents, says Mark Toigo, 42, who has run hydroponic greenhouses for the last 15 years, among other duties, at the family-owned Toigo Orchards in Southampton Township, Cumberland County. Hydroponic grower Barb Rose, 52, co-owner of Beck-n-Rose of North Middleton Township, agrees with Toigo. She also developed a niche market in the last three years --- a few chefs at "better restaurants who care what tomatoes look and taste like," Rose says. She counts among her customers Fetter Brookside Market south of Carlisle, Mountain Lakes west of Carlisle, Oak Grove Farms of Mechanicsburg and the Butcher Shop in Chambersburg. For next season, all Beck-n-Rose produce is committed to current customers, says Rose, a former marketing manager for a start-up software company that sold last year for $40 million. "You do need to be a manager and a marketer" to be profitable, Toigo says, raising his voice above the half-dozen four-foot-wide fans that ventilate his 90- by 130-foot greenhouse off South Mountain Estates Road. He steps over piles of vines on the concrete greenhouse floor, the result of cropping the tops off tomato plants that have the last of the crop ripening on the vines. He will plant new tomato vines again in January for harvest beginning in April. Although growers would like to produce tomatoes through the winter, year-round tomato production isn't feasible this far north. They say it doesn't have the flavor of food grown in soil," says Brubeck, who sells mostly to restaurants and to some grocery stores in Cumberland, Dauphin and Lebanon counties.

Original source:
http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2005/08/07/business/busi01.txt

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Food security under threat despite surplus food

Despite the country is enjoying surplus crops especially of wheat and rice, the food security seems extremely chaotic, as high inflation, declining income, unequal distribution of resources and stagnating domestic productivity are hampering attempts to achieve food security.
Experts are critically examining this situation giving a warning that the country’s food security is under threat due to the shallow approach of the economic managers.
Pakistan Agriculture Scientists Association Chairman Jamshed Iqbal Cheema said that there is a significant increase in the number of food insecure people in Pakistan, which now stands at 51 per cent of the total population as compared to about 22 per cent six years back; this is largely due to decline in agricultural production, especially in the Punjab, caused by ill-conceived policies.
He said that investment in agriculture sector not only ensures food security of any country but also help to produce a healthy nation besides promoting rule of law in the society. Farming is just not a profession but an effort to save 194 million people of Pakistan from hunger.
Keeping in view the population growth, Pakistan needs 50 percent more agricultural production by 2025 and it can only be done by strengthening the agricultural sector and promoting good agricultural practices for maximum per acre yield.
He was of the view that the government should reduce the input cost by waiving taxes on the inputs and bringing down diesel and electricity prices. He was of the view that it would enhance usage of quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs which would result in better production thus ensuring more grain for ever increasing population of Pakistan.
PASA Chairman believed that undernourished Pakistani population were reduced to two meals a days from three meals. Due to increase in input cost, the per head person cost of Pakistani has increased to Rs 3,000 per month, Cheema said and added that due to increase in this cost people were compromising their meals to manage the other day to day affairs.
He said average family size in Pakistan was 5.5 persons which mean a family have to spend Rs 16,500 per month to ensure three meals a day.
He regretted that Pakistan which is attributed as basically agricultural country lacks in provision of sufficient food and it is in the ranks of those countries which have low grains per capita for its citizens.
Agri Forum Pakistan Chairman, Ibrahim Mughal, while commenting on the food security in Pakistan said that it happened first time in the history of Pakistan that despite food surplus, shortage and price hike has been created several times during last one decade. While farmer is producing more and more wheat but not getting any benefit,” he commented.

Source: The Nation

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Initiatives for corporate farming

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan enrolled 19 companies in corporate agricultural farming last month. Most of them are in seed, poultry and feed businesses. It is, however, not immediately clear if any of these plan to invest in the vegetable and crop sector.

Nevertheless, a growing number of companies are enrolling in corporate farming, which has revived hopes of fresh investment in different areas of agriculture in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“Major business groups are investing in corporate farming,” says Afaq Tiwana, one of the key architects of the policy framed in the early 2000s to attract foreign and domestic corporate agriculture farming.

“Numerous corporations have invested in dairy farming and halal meat since the adoption of the policy, and I expect many to invest in vegetables soon. I also know that several major textile companies are considering joint investment in cotton crop to grow quality fibre [to meet the requirements of foreign customers].”

The corporate agricultural farming ordinance was drawn to offer wide-ranging incentives to corporations to attract foreign and domestic capital in large-scale agricultural production.

It was hoped at that time that investors from Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE will lease or buy large tracts of barren and uncultivated state and private land, and invest their capital to grow food crops to be exported back home. But the plan didn’t work out according to the script.

“Initially, some Gulf investors showed their desire to lease and buy land for corporate farming. Most were interested in productive, fertile land. But the plan could not pick momentum due to deteriorating security conditions in the country,” says Midrar ul Haq, a Peshawar-based agriculture and environment consultant.

Corporate agricultural farming is believed to have tremendous promise for attracting foreign investment, as many countries try to achieve food security. The South Koreans, Chinese, Saudis, Japanese and others have acquired farmlands in Laos, Cambodia, Madagascar, Burma, Uganda, Ethiopia, Brazil and other Central Asian countries in recent years. Large Indian companies like Tata and Reliance are also said to have invested heavily in this area.

The law adopted by Pakistan offers numerous attractive incentives to potential investors. It declared corporate agricultural farming as an industry, made sufficient bank credit available for corporate entities, gave several fiscal and tax concessions like zero-rating imports of machinery (not manufactured locally), did away with the upper ceiling on landholding for registered agricultural companies, allowed 100pc foreign ownership with checks on repatriation of investment and profits, and exempted transfer of land from taxes.

“It is one of the most attractive and liberal packages offered anywhere in the world to corporations and investors,” a Punjab agriculture department official argues. “If no foreign investor has come, it is not because of any flaw in the incentive package, but because of insecurity and political instability gripping the country for last 7-8 years.”

Meanwhile, Afaq Tiwana clarifies that the incentives were not necessarily meant for foreign investors.

“The law was enacted to comfort investors that the legal cover is there, so they can come and invest in this sector. It was essentially meant to allow corporations to own and lease land for agricultural farming. Many major local investors like Mian Mohammad Mansha and Jehangir Khan Tareen have put money in it.

“Foreign investors demand very large tracts of land, which are difficult to acquire from private landowners. Only the state can provide such large tracts, which the government is not prepared to give,” he says.

Corporate agricultural farming has many advantages. It helps transfer modern technology, raises output, cuts input costs, improves food security, prevents fragmentation of cultivable land, creates much-needed — backward and forward — linkages between agriculture production, processing and marketing, and pushes industrial growth.

Nevertheless, the promulgation of the ordinance triggered a debate against the government’s decision to encourage corporate farming. Many said it would displace small landholders, create massive unemployment and increase poverty. Afaq dismisses these apprehensions.

“Those who invested in corporate dairy farming imported technology, management and animals. This is the route that other sectors of the economy also need to take to progress,” he argues. “I don’t agree with people who say that development of corporate farming will create unemployment or make people landless,” he says.

“Corporate farming speeds up the development of the services sector, which will create thousands of better paying jobs and urbanise our rural population. In America, for example, only 2pc of the population is actively involved in the fields. But a far bigger number of people are earning their livelihood in the services and industrial sectors, which are connected with and dependent on agriculture through backward and forward linkages.

“We have to decide if we want to keep our [rural] people the way are, or improve their living conditions and give them better jobs and increase their access to urban facilities. This will happen when only a fraction of them are producing food and other crops and the rest of them will be working in the services and industrial sectors,” he says.

Writer Nasir Jamal

Source: Dawn

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Agricultural technologies can increase global crop yields by 67pc

Pakistan, which has an agrarian economy, is not equipped to adapt to climate change because of its low technological and resource base.

It has suffered a loss of billions because of the floods in recent years. A new strategy is required to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The increased demand for food due to population and income growth and the impacts of climate change on agriculture will ratchet up the pressure for increased and more sustainable agricultural production to feed the planet.

A new report released on Wednesday by London-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) measures the impacts of agricultural innovation on farm productivity, prices, hunger, and trade flows as we approach 2050 and identifies practices which could significantly benefit developing nations.

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks sustainable solutions for ending hunger and poverty.

The IFPRI was established in 1975 to identify and analyse alternative national and international strategies and policies for meeting the food needs of the developing world, with particular emphasis on low-income countries and on the poorer groups in those countries. “The book, Food Security in a World of Natural Resource Scarcity: The Role of Agricultural Technologies, released today, examines 11 agricultural practices and technologies and how they could help farmers around the world improve the sustainability of growing three of the world’s main staple crops – maize, rice, and wheat,” the report said.

Using a first-of-its-kind data model, the IFPRI pinpoints the agricultural technologies and practices that can most significantly reduce food prices and food insecurity in developing nations. The study profiles 11 agricultural innovations: crop protection, drip irrigation, drought tolerance, heat tolerance, integrated soil fertility management, no-till farming, nutrient use efficiency, organic agriculture, precision agriculture, sprinkler irrigation, and water harvesting.

The findings from the book indicate that no-till farming alone could increase maize yields by 20 percent, but also irrigating the same no-till fields could increase maize yields by 67 percent in 2050.

Nitrogen-use efficiency could increase rice crop yields by 22 percent, but irrigation increased the yields by another 21 percent.

Heat-tolerant varieties of wheat could increase crop yields from a 17 percent increase to a 23 percent increase with irrigation.

Yet, no single silver bullet exists. “The reality is that no single agricultural technology or farming practice will provide sufficient food for the world in 2050,” said Mark Rosegrant, lead author of the book and director of IFPRI’s Environment and Production Technology Division. “Instead we must advocate for and utilise a range of these technologies in order to maximise yields.”

However, it is realistic to assume that farmers in the developing world and elsewhere would adopt a combination of technologies as they become more widely available. If farmers were to stack agricultural technologies in order of crop production schedules, the combination of agricultural technologies and practices could reduce food prices by up to 49 percent for maize, up to 43 percent for rice, and 45 percent for wheat due to increased crop productivity. The technologies with the highest percentage of potential impact for agriculture in developing countries include no-till farming, nitrogen-use efficiency, heat-tolerant crops, and crop protection from weeds, insects, and diseases.

The anticipated negative effects of climate change on agricultural productivity as well as projected population growth by 2050, suggest that food insecurity and food prices will increase. For example, climate change could decrease maize yields by as much as 18 percent by 2050–making it even more difficult to feed the world if farmers cannot adopt agricultural technologies that could help boost food production in their regions.

“One of the most significant barriers to global food security is the high cost of food in developing countries,” Rosegrant explained. “Agricultural technologies used in combinations tailored to the crops grown and regional differences could make more food more affordable – especially for those at risk of hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.”

However, based on current projections, stacked technologies could reduce food insecurity by as much as 36 percent. Making this a reality, however, depends on farmers gaining access to these technologies and learning how to use them. This underscores the need for improved agricultural education to ensure that farmers are able to use the best available technologies for their region and resources.

The IFPRI highlights three key areas for investments prioritising effective technology use: increasing crop productivity through enhanced investment in agricultural research; developing and using resource-conserving agricultural management practices such as no-till farming, integrated soil fertility management, improved crop protection, and precision agriculture.

Shahid Husain
Monday, February 17, 2014, Source: International The News

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Zinc: Importance and Current situation

Zaghum Sattar & Abdul Saboor Butt

Institute of soil & Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

Zinc (Zn) is among those minerals that were first considered as essential for plants, animals and human. Zn is a basic essential trace mineral element for normal healthy growth in plants, animals and humans that uptake as a divalent cation (Zn²⁺) by plants. Zn is playing principal metabolically role in plants and required in the carbonic enzyme present in all photosynthetic tissues, and also required for chlorophyll biosynthesis. Zinc is one of the essential micronutrient for the normal healthy growth and reproduction of crop plants. Zn plays an important role in plant metabolism by influencing the activities of enzymes, hydrogenase and carbonic anhydrase, stabilization of ribosomal fractions and also synthesis of cytochrome.  Zn also activate plant enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, integrity maintenance of cellular membranes, synthesis of nucleic acids and specific proteins, regulate auxin synthesis and pollen formation. The regulation of the gene expression required for the tolerance of environmental stresses in plants also depend on the Zn.Zinc deficiency involves in the abnormalities development in plants as deficiency symptoms such as stunted growth, chlorosis and smaller leaves, spikelet sterility. Zn deficiency can also adversely affect the quality of harvested products; plants susceptibility to injury by high sunlight or temperature intensity and to infection by fungal diseases can also increase. A zinc deficiency affects the capacity for water uptake and transport in plants. Zn involves in the synthesis of tryptophan which is a precursor of IAA, and in the production of growth hormoneauxin. Zinc deficiency is common in humans, animals and plants. More than 30% world’s population suffers from Zn deficiency. Zinc deficiency is found to be more common in developing countries due to low Zn in their diet. Zinc plays a part.in the basic roles of. Cellular functions in all living organisms and also involved in the human immune system. The optimum dietary intake for human adults is 12-15 mg Zn per day. Zinc acts as a catalytic or structural component in various body enzymes.Unsatisfactory intake and improper absorption of Zinc in the body may cause deficiency of Zn.  Zn malnutrition in humans can result in many fatal and other diseases like hair and memory loss, skin problems and weakness in eye side and body muscles. Insufficient intake of Zn during pregnancy in women also causes stunted brain development of the fetus. Infertility has also been observed in Zn deficient men. Zinc deficiency may cause congenital diseases like Acrodermatitis enteropathica. According to FAO/WHO recommendations an average male need 11 mg of Zn daily while an average female needs 9 mg of Zn. During pregnancy and lactation, the female needs 13 mg to 14 mg of Zn daily. Infants from 7 months to 3 years need 3 mg, 4 to 8 years need 5 mg and children from 9 to 13 years need 8 mg of Zn daily. In Pakistan, Zn deficiency is common in children and in women.Trace elements such as Zn are contained in all soils in measurable amounts. However, these concentrations can vary considerably. The overall mean total Zn concentration in soil is around 55 mg Zn kg^-1. A typical range of Zn in soils is from 10 to 300 mg Zn kg^-1. These values do not include contaminated soils, which may have much higher zinc concentrations.However, plant available Zn is very low as compared to its total amount. For a better Zn nutrition of human beings, cereal grain should contain around 40-60 mg Zn kg^-1 where current situation is 10-30 mg Zn kg^-1. Soils with low zinc availability for plant uptake represent nearly half of the cereal-growing areas of the world. The countries most affected by zinc deficient soils are Pakistan, India, Iran, China and Turkey with 50-70% of arable land classified as zinc deficient.

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Indian family makes a breakthrough in hydroponics

by Mike Adams

Hydroponics, the practice of growing plants in water instead of soil, received a giant lift from a New Delhi family that created a purely organic nutrient mix that has sustained tomatoes and Arjun.

Original source:
http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?storyflag=y&leftnm=lmnu5&leftindx=5&lselect=2&chklogin=N&autono=202585

Details

An Indian hobbyist has created a purely organic nutrient mixture for growing plants in water. Although it is still an evolving science, hydroponic agriculture (growing plants in water solution rather than soil) is spreading fast the world over. The nutritional requirement of the plants in this system of soilless farming is met by the nutrient mixtures, called hydroponics fertiliser mixtures, added to the water in which the plant roots are kept submerged. These mixtures are made of chemical plant nutrients. A breakthrough has now been achieved by an Indian hydroponics hobbyist in creating a purely organic nutrient mixture for growing plants in water. This wholly chemical-free plant growth solution has been tested successfully for growing several plants, including common vegetables like tomato and arbi and some high value medicinal plants like Brahmi, Arjun and Cineraria. Indeed, a good deal of research is underway in this system of soilless farming in the US and Europe but not much headway has been made anywhere in organic hydroponics. Of course, some hydroponics enthusiasts abroad have been experimenting with various kinds of organic manures and mixtures of plants, but successful and commercially viable organic hydroponics models are still not available. His daughter, Shweta Singh, a Delhi University botany student, has been assisting him in discovering and further improving the biofertiliser mixture for growing plants in ordinary water. “I will work on it for a couple of years more before thinking of launching commercial production of this bio-fertiliser for hydroponics. However, if some government organisation, such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), comes forward, I am willing to cooperate with it in promoting organic hydroponics in India,” he says. He believes that nearly 200 commercially important plants can be grown by hydroponics technique.

Source: Article taken from Natural News, only for information purpose

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10 tips for companion planting for natural pest control and organic sustainability

Companion planting for pest control and to encourage plants to grow with more vigor has fascinated men for centuries; however, few backyard gardeners know how to use these natural methods for organic sustainability and how to improve your garden. Plants that work together to help one another grow; plants that repel insects for organic pest management; and plants that repel other plants for natural herbicide control are of great value to both small backyard gardeners and commercial growers.
Certain protective botanicals don’t always act instantaneously, and must be planted several years or seasons in advance to be of utmost cumulative effect. For example, companion planting pest control using marigolds to prevent nematode growth should be done at least one season ahead before expecting to see great results.

It’s important to remember that both secretions and odors from various plants are valuable traits for organic pest control and companion planting where repelling or attracting certain aspects and effects is attempted.

Ten easy companion planting tips for to use now

Companion planting for chemical free pesticides and organic sustainability is a huge subject that can take years to master; however, there are a few easy things you can do in your own garden right now to make use of this intriguing method of gardening.

1. Protect carrots by planting them with leeks to repel both carrot and onion flies. They won’t even lay their eggs and your yield will increase tremendously.

2. Growing radishes or kohlrabi? Plant them with lettuce to repel earth flies that hate the smell of lettuce and make them take flight.

3. Aphids will injure almost all plants, causing headaches for gardeners everywhere. To repel aphids, plant nasturiums around broccoli and bunches of chives among sunflowers and tomatoes to discourage infestations.

4. Ladybugs are natural enemies to aphids and are excellent for use in organic pest management. Order ladybugs in bulk online or buy them from gardening centers. If you’re wondering how to improve your garden and reduce the aphid population, this is one of the most effective methods of doing so.

5. Asparagus and tomatoes complement one another and improve the vigor of both plants. Place a row of asparagus between two rows of tomato plants.

6. Beans and potatoes work in concert for organic pest control. Planting bush beans with potatoes in alternating rows protects the spuds from the Colorado potato beetle and the beans from the Mexican bean beetle.

7. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables belonging to the cabbage family do well when companion planted with celery, dill, peppermint, sage and rosemary; as well as potatoes, onions and beets.

8. Repel moles around a vegetable garden with a border of castor beans; mice with a border of daffodils; and yarrow makes a wonderful boarder for an herb garden as it encourages the growth of essential oils in the herbs.

9. Remember that companion planting for pest control includes keeping those cute little rabbits out of the garden. Onions repel rabbits and can be inter-planted with peas, beans, lettuce and cabbage.

10. If your garden attracts raccoons, plant corn and pumpkins together so that the large pumpkin leaves grow around the base of the corn stalks. Cayenne pepper sprinkled on the corn silk will also act as a deterrent.

Because some plants are poisonous, it’s important to keep unattended young children away from the garden. Natural organic pest control may be a complex subject; however, there are many simple things you can do in to improve your garden for increased vegetable yield and organic sustainability.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ghorganics.com/page2.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_planting

http://www.seedsofchange.com

http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/companion-planting.html

Riotte, Louise. Carrots Love Tomatoes. Charlotte: Garden Way Publishing, 1975

Mayer, Dale. The Complete Guide to Companion Planting: Everything You Need to Know to Make Your Garden Successful (Back-To-Basics Gardening). OcalaL: Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc., 2010

About the author:
READ MORE OF JEAN (JB) BARDOT’S ARTICLES AT THE FOLLOWING LINKS:

The JB Bardot Archives: www.jbbardot.com
Natural News: http://www.naturalnews.com/Author1686.html

JB Bardot is an herbalist and a classical homeopath, and has a post graduate degree in holistic nutrition. Bardot cares for both people and animals, using alternative approaches to health care and lifestyle. She writes about wellness, green living, alternative medicine, holistic nutrition, homeopathy, herbs and naturopathic medicine. You can find her at The JB Bardot Archives at www.jbbardot.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jbbardot23 or on Twitter at jbbardot23 or https://twitter.com/jbbardot23

Source of Article is Natural News, article published for only information purpose.

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Pakistan participates in Fruit Logistica-2014 Fair in Berlin

As many as 13 Pakistani companies participated in the world's leading international fresh produce trade fair, Fruit Logistica-2014, this year in Berlin that ended on Saturday. Pakistani exhibitors were optimistic of substantial increase in export of fresh produce from Pakistan as they made good contacts with the international buyers of fruit and vegetable products.
Buyers from Russia showed keen interest in Pakistani potatoes whereas Pakistani mangoes have also made inroads into EU market with increase in shelf life through better processing technology and other corrective measures. Earlier, Pakistan Ambassador to Germany Abdul Basit visited Pakistan Pavilion along with Commercial Counsellor, Dr Erfa Iqbal and met with Pakistani exhibitors.
He also held a meeting with the delegation of mango growers and exporters of Pakistan, who put up their stalls under the umbrella of UNIDO and the USAID. Both the organisations are running projects of increasing income through improvement of quality and better yield and generating additional employment's in the major mango-growing areas of South Punjab and Northern Sind.
The Ambassador said the world's leading trade fair provides great opportunity for promotion, development and marketing of fresh fruit and vegetable products. He emphasised the need of intensive interaction between farmers and exporters to up-grade the quality and increase yield of fresh products. He said there is a growing market for Pakistani fruits, especially mangoes and Kinnow/mandarin. Pakistani exporters should give due importance to fruit processing and packaging for longer preservation of these perishable products, he added.
He urged the traders to spend sufficient amount of their income on research and development, which is essential to keep pace with the ever changing market trends. The exhibitors expressed their satisfaction over the arrangements made by the Commercial Section of the Pakistan Embassy and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. About 2,566 including 2,311 foreign exhibitors from 84 countries presented a comprehensive overview of all levels of fruit and vegetable production and marketing and more than 58,000 trade visitors from 130 countries visited the exhibition and made business contacts besides a large number of general public/end consumers.

Source: Business Recorder

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GMO challenges: Ministry asked to call crucial meeting

The Federal Law Ministry has finally given a ruling, asking Climate Change Ministry to convene a meeting of National Bio-Safety Committee for granting approval to the long-awaited 15 Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) of cotton varieties for commercialisation, sources revealed.

Well-placed sources revealed to Business Recorder that Textile division had approached Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after the reportedly delaying tactics by the Climate Change Ministry for convening a meeting of NBC.

Prime Minister on January 16, 2014 constituted a committee comprising Secretary Textile division, Secretary Law and Secretary Climate Change and directed them to hold a meeting within 10 days for resolving the issue. The committee met last week and Law division gave a ruling asking for convening a meeting of NBC to grant approval for commercialisation of cotton seeds, sources maintained.

Certified cotton seed was becoming a serious issue as no BT certified cotton seed would be available for cultivation for the upcoming crop season due to non-approval of GMO cotton varieties by NBC which might encourage the seed-mafia, besides negatively impacting commodity production, official maintained.

Official sources revealed that Pakistan being a signatory to the international Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety had to regulate GMO through establishing a Bio-safety system in the country. NBC and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA) have responsibility to evaluate, regulate and monitor GMO for lab or field research and their commercial scale production or marketing in the country.

The NBC had not held its meeting since February 2011, which had delayed the regulatory process required to test and approve GMOs crops, said sources, adding that applications submitted by various public and private sectors organisations seeking approval of different GMO crops were yet to be reviewed by the NBC.

Currently only transgenic crop commercially cultivated in Pakistan is cotton and eight BT varieties and one cotton Hybrid were approved by Punjab Seed Council (PSC) in April 2010 and commercialisation certificate was granted by NBC. In February 2012, PSC provisionally approved eight BT varieties (Tarzen-1, MNH-886, NS-141, FH-114, IR-NIBGE-3, CIM-598, Sitara-009, A-One) subject to the grant of commercialisation certificate from the NBC and TAC had to clear cases before consideration in NBC, sources maintained.

BT cotton varieties in Pakistan, which were granted certificate for three years (now expired) included IR-3701, Neelum-121, FH-113, Sitara-008, MG-6, Ali Akbar-703, Ali Akbar 802, IR-1524 and GN Hybrid-2085. BT cotton varieties waiting for commercialisation certificate included Tarzen-1, VH-259, MNH-886, BH-178, NS-141, CIM-599, FH-114, CIM-602, IR-NIBGE-3, FH-118, CIM-598, FH-142, Sitara 009, IR-NIBGE-824, A-One IUB-222, Sayaban-201, Sitara-11M, A-555, KZ-181, Tarzan-2 and CA-12.

Source: Business Recorder

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Irrigation officers directed to overcome water theft

Secretary Irrigation and MD PIDA Malik Hassan Iqbal has directed the field officers to take consolidated measures for overcoming water theft across the province. Water theft is a heinous crime which affects agri-production, it is important to ensure equitable distribution of water, he added.

He stated this while presiding over a meeting held to review departmental performance at Irrigation Department Headquarters. Additional Secretary (Operation) Malik Saleem, Additional Secretary (Technical) Khalid Hussain Qureshi, Chief Monitoring Habib Ullah Bodla, Chief Engineer Irrigation (Lahore Zone) Nazir Anjum, Director Reforms Aamir Khan, General Manager PIDA Afzal Anjum Toor and senior field officers were present on the occasion.

Secretary Irrigation directed the officers to further activate the system of action on the complaints of water theft so that problems of the farmers could be resolved on priority basis. Immediate implementation should be ensured on the complaints received on toll free number 0800-11333 of Irrigation Department, he added. He said performance of all the field officers should be reviewed in the monthly meetings and strict action be taken against those showing negligence.

Source: Business Recorder

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SBP enhances per acre limits for crops financing

State Bank of Pakistan has enhanced per acre limits for major and minor crops, orchards and forestry. According to revised report on Indicative Credit Limits & List of Eligible Items for Agri Financing, under major corps, financing limits per acre for rice, wheat, cotton and sugarcane have been increased to Rs 34,000, Rs 29,000, Rs 39,000 and Rs 53,000, respectively from existing limits of Rs 19,000, Rs 16,000, Rs 21,000 and Rs 30,000 fixed in 2008.

The revised report provides a yardstick for banks to assess the credit needs of different groups of farmers’ vis-à-vis their activities. Banks extensively use the report for reporting financing statistics to the SBP as per the list of eligible items. The report has been revised in consultation with Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, provincial government including AJK, agricultural universities, agri. lending banks and farmers’ representatives.

Source: Business Recorder

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Politicians urged to show maturity on Kalabagh Dam issue

Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) has said that politicians should show their maturity on national issues like Kalabagh Dam, energy crisis, trade with neighbouring countries and achieving the goal of GSP-plus status. MCCI lauded the expression of political maturity and avoiding the politics of avenge by the leaders of the government and the opposition while inaugurating the Thar Coal Power Project worth around Rs 1.5 trillion.

The encouraging gestures of rival politicians have not only made history but also sent very positive signals arousing hopes among the masses and the business community. President of MCCI Khawaja Muhammad Usman has said country has lost a lot due to political conflicts but it seems that now the major political parties have decided to keep national interest and economic development above over the politics.

He said the opposition of nationalists and so-called intellectuals failed to dent the resolve of the government to launch the Thar Coal project, which is highly laudable. Usman said politics in Pakistan seems different now which will help stabilise democracy, boost economy and resolve the energy crisis soon. He asked the government and opposition to forge unity to get the long-awaited Kalabagh Dam (KBD) project started.

The KBD remains victim to politics transforming a technical issue into a hot topic, said Baig Raj, adding that enemies of Pakistan are behind opposition of the most viable project in the country. The so-called scholars and nationalists who are against KBD are dancing on the tunes of their foreign masters who don’t want a stabilise Pakistan, he said.

These elements have helped plunge a country like Pakistan with unmatched resources into darkness for their petty gains, he said. KBD is the best way to have dependable energy otherwise country will never be able to become Asian Tiger and will remain a beggar, said Khawaja Usman.

Title: Politicians urged to show maturity on Kalabagh Dam issue

Source: Business Recorder

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Basic concepts in crop production

AGRONOMY

Scientific crop production is called Agronomy.

CROP

Community of plants to produce yield, which are economically important, called Crop.

OBJECTIVES OF CROP

To provide the food to the human beings and also useful to animals.

GENOTYPE

Genotype are the new varieties and cultivars.

• Poor yield    =      poor genotype +         good environment
• Poor yield    =      poor genotype +         poor environment
• Poor yield    =      good genotype +         poor environment
• Good yield   =      good genotype +         good environment

FACTORS EFFECTING GENOTYPE

These are the factors effecting genotype

• Vulnerability of seed.
• Viability of seed.
• Poor storability.

SOIL

It is a layer of lithosphere. Soil is composed of aluminium and silica is 1:1 or 1:2 ratio.

Soil is the basic medium for plant growth.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL

Physical properties of soil are

• Bulk density
• Porosity
• Soil texture and structure.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL

Chemical properties of soil are

• Cation (-), Anion (+) exchange capacity
• Soil ph.
• Soil salts or electrical conductivity
• Soil types.

CROPING SEASONS

We have two cropping seasons

• Rabi
• Kharif.

RABI CROPS

Those crops which growing season starts in winter

For example; Wheat, Barley etc.

KHARIF CROPS

Those crops which growing season starts in summer

For example; Cotton, Rice etc.

TYPES OF PLANTS ON THE BASIS OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC SYSTEMS

There are two types of plants on the basis of photosynthetic systems

• C₃ Plants (Mesophyllous photosynthetic system)
• C₄ Plants (PEP carboxyl’s photosynthetic system)

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF C₃ AND C₄ PLANTS

• C₄ are tropical plants.
• C₄ plants productivity is greater than C₃ plants.
• C₄ plants are Sugar cane, Sorghum, Milit, Maize, and Weeds.
• C₄ plants does not utilize its own chloroplast whether C₃ plants does use it.

SOIL COMPOSITION

Soil is the basic medium for plant growth.

Soil contain

• 25% moisture
• 25% Airspace
• 5% Organic matter
• 45% Minerals.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF COMMON MICROORGANISMS PER GRAM OF SOIL.

• Bacteria                           3,000,000 to 500,000,000
• Actinomycetes                  1,000,000 to 20,000,000
• Fungi                               5,000 to 1000,000
• Protozoa                          1,000 to 500,000
• Algae                               1,000 to 500,000

CN RATIO (CARBON TO NITROGEN RATIO)

CN ratio indicates the decomposition of organic matter. Number of carbon units utilizes to produce nitrogen unit.

Crop Name	C	:	N
· Green Legumes	12	:	1
· Compost (decompose form of O.matter)	15	:	1
· Garbage	25	:	1
· Sugar Cane thrash	50	:	1
· Weeds	80	:	1
· Rice straw	80	:	1
· Saw dust	500	:	1

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