'Result-oriented policies needed to boost agriculture sector'

September 04, 2013

Speakers at a consultation moot called for devising result-oriented policies to boost agriculture sector and ensure food security in the country. Addressing National Consultation organised by Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (SCOPE) in collaboration with Alliance Against Hunger and Malnutrition (AAHM) National Chapter Pakistan, Oxfam Novib Pakistan and Oxfam-GROW here on Tuesday, Tanveer Arif, Chief Executive, SCOPE elaborated that AAHM, which is a global network of intergovernmental organisations and civil society, formed as a follow up of World Food Summit in 2005.
He said that AAHM Pakistan has developed advocacy strategy which aims at supporting government initiatives of National Food Security and Nutrition Policy and Zero Hunger Programme.
"Pakistan is far behind in reaching Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which is a global target to be achieved by 2015. Agriculture and food security development is very low in view of MDGs. Pakistan has 52 percent food insecure people. FATA tops in food insecurity, Balochistan is at second, Sindh at third and Punjab at fourth number," said Amjad Nazeer, a consultant and agriculture expert.
He said that due to poverty and unemployment, people are migrating to urban areas from rural areas. He said that right to food for people is incorporated in the Constitution and the government is duty bound to it. Hence agro-industrial and agriculture polices should be devised by incorporating public views and demands so as to overcome food insecurity and bolster agriculture sector.
President Bhandar Sangat Taj Marri said that the use of machinery is putting burden on economic position of farmers as they get a meager profit from the crop production as compared to the farming without machinery. He said the government and landlords are depriving farmers of their due rights. Corporate farming is harmful for farmers and food security.
"The corporate farming has also been started in Matiary, Thatta and Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas districts of Sindh, which needs to be stopped. He said that people of rural areas are migrating to cities due to poverty and unemployment. There is need to make hectic efforts to overcome poverty and food security issues in the country through joint efforts by civil society, Marri said.
Ali Raza Jamali, Director Agriculture Extension, Government of Balochistan, said that due to blockage of Right Bank Outfall Drain, agriculture land and cultivation in three districts of Balochistan has completely ruined in last three consecutive years that include Jafferabad, Naseerabad and Jhal Magsi. Aftab Alam Khan, International Co-ordinator ActionAid -Food /Livestock said that there is need to change crop production policies to ensure food security and benefit to farmers.
M Ijaz Hussain, Programme Manager, Sahil Development Organisation, said that Pakistan faces grain shortage despite sufficient wheat production and being seventh largest wheat producing country. He said that there is lack of facilities to the farmers as procurement cost is not being paid to them. There is also need to improve supply chain management.
Dr Wajid Pirzada, representative of UN/WFP, said that we should know the reasons behind the vulnerability of food security and conduct research. Informed policy should be devised to raise awareness among farmers about agriculture issues, so that they could be resolved amicably. He said that rural areas of Sindh are food insecure while Punjab is also victim of it despite having fertile land. Pakistan is also facing climate change challenge, which needs to be tackled in right way, he added.
Jamal Mustafa Shoro, an agriculture expert, said that feudal have become stronger as a result farmers are being affected. The input cost of farming has rising alarmingly which has put heavy burden on the farmers. He said that farmers need incentives to make their life out of trouble.-PR

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Rs10.5 per unit tariff for agricultural tubewells

August 27, 2013

The government decided during a meeting in Islamabad on Monday to charge a uniform electricity tariff rate of Rs 10.5 per unit for tubewells used for agricultural purposes.
A delegation of Kissan Ittehad held a detailed meeting with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to discuss the tariff on agricultural tubewells.
During the meeting, it was decided that the outstanding bills till June 20 would be paid in ten equal instalments and the late-fee fine would be waived.
The meeting was attended by Minister Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Punjab Minister for Agriculture Dr Farrukh Javed, Punjab Minister for Irrigation Yawar Zaman, Chaudhary Muhammad Anwareen, Kissan Ittehad Punjab President Khalid Khokhar, Mian Mustafa Wattoo, Chaudhary Muhammad Akram and members of the National Assembly, including Chaudhary Ashraf, Iftikhar Nazeer, Rao Muhammad Ajmal, Arif Chaudhary,Rana Zahid, Muneer Azhar, Ghaffar Dogar and Nadeem Roberta.

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Immediate steps demanded to ease water shortages

July 24, 2013

Kisan Board Pakistan (KBP) has urged the rulers to take report by a US magazine 'the Atlantic' as an eye opener which has termed the shortage of water as the biggest threat for Pakistan instead of terrorism. KBP President Sardar Zafar Hussain Khan, General Secretary Malik Muhammd Ramzan rohari, Secretary Information Haji Muhammad Ramzan and others in a joint reaction over the American magazine report said that Pakistan, according to US magazine, was among those countries, which had capacity of storing only 30 days of water.
While internationally organisations recommend having water storage of at least 100 days. KBP leaders said that India had already deprived Pakistan of its due share of river water due to ineptness of past rulers and officers of Indus water commission. They stated that recently Indian Supreme Court in its order of joining 30 rivers had further strengthened Indian water aggression against Pakistan. They said completion of this project would totally turn Pakistan in to a barren land and Pakistanis would not have even one drop of water for drinking or agriculture. They said even KBP take shortage of water and Indian water aggression as the biggest problem for Pakistan. They said that rulers in a bid to develop friendly ties with India should not ignore this harsh fact.
KBP high ups demanded that the government should declare water as a national asset and prefer taking steps for meeting the water shortage created due to Indian water aggression. They said once India succeeded in constructing all the dams it planned would deprive Pakistan from power or water forever. They said there was only one solution and that was to immediately construct more dams in Pakistan to resolve the crisis.

Source: Business Recorder

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THE BANK FOR THE POOR II

By Baqir Shah, Agriculture Information Bank Contributor

While nearly 40% of the populations live on or below the poverty line, and the continuous efforts of the Government to eradicate poverty, have yet to bring results. 
Yet, it does not have control of rising prices and creations of jobs for the unemployed & low income group. Bearing this situation in mind, we have envisaged a plan for the poor to stand on their own feet, on self help basis.
Banks Function
This function will be launched through all the Labour Unions of the country, The branches of the Bank will the Labour Union Offices. All registered members of the Union will be entitled to open an account in the Bank. 
The account can be opened for low amount of Rs 60.00 p.m All the account will be deposited the Poor Mans Bank, Head office located at Karachi. The Board of Directors of Bank will be the Head of the Unions who will examine and approve collective measures to advance loans in kind  only up to the value of Rs 5000/- to avoid defaults. Cash loans will be considered for approval on the guarantee of the Head of the Union. The Bank will operate on Non Profit basis, & charge 10% service charges. 
Benefits for the Accounted
The account holder will get the following benefits.
1. Loans in Cash or Kind to start their own business, as mentioned above.
2. Classes will be arranged to educate them as skilled labor, 
3. Free Accident Policy of Rs 100000 on accidental & Rs5000 for injury on 
Duty
4. Other benefits will be arranged to assist our workers, due course.
Banks Performance
Initially we expect to get around 60,000 members to start the function of the Bank. ie 60,000 x 60 = Rs 36,00,000 per month. A hand some amount for a beginning . The amount left after its function i.e. idle will be invested in short term deposits with commercial bank and the profit added to the capital held.  The figures mentioned above are hypothetical and the final figures will appear as we go on the launch the scheme. We are confident that we will receive the Government’s Patronage & assistance in this regard. Proposal by Baqar Shah

Copyright Agriculture Information Bank

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River Indus

Saturday, July 20, 2013  By:  Baqar Shah

Mouth Arabian Sea

Location Indus River Delta, Pakistan

Length 3,200 km (1,988 mi)

Basin 1,165,000 km2 (449,809 sq mi)

Discharge - average 6,600 m3/s (233,077 cu ft/s)

The Indus River provides key water resources for the economy of Pakistan - especially the Breadbasket of Punjab province, which accounts for most of the nation's agricultural production, and Sindh. The word Punjab means "water of five rivers" and the five rivers are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, all of which finally merge in Indus. The Indus also supports many heavy industries and provides the main supply of potable water in Pakistan.

Source: Wikipedia

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I am constrained to bring some points to the attention of the  authorities concerned on the present condition of the Indus  The rare photo (1912-1914) shows the steam boat carrying passengers on the Indus 100 years ago. Now look at the present state of the river, it banks flooded, undrendged for the past 100 years. The Mississippi river in USA is drenched every four years, hence boats and barges move freely up and down I therefore suggest that we build Artificial Lakes along the banks to reduce flood damage and at the same time water stored will be useful during draughts periods. These Lakes can also be used to save the Marine life including the endangered species the Blind Dolphin  If we fail to action now, I fear that in some years Indus may change its course.

Copyright: agrinfobank.com

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Punjab govt, Canadian firm ink MoU for biogas project

Saturday, July 20, 2013

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Punjab government and a renowned Canadian Company High Mark Bio-Gas at Chief Minister’s Office on Friday for setting up bio-gas project.
Chief Executive Officer Evan Chrapko on behalf of High Mark Biogas Company while Secretary Energy Usman Bajwa on behalf of Punjab government signed the MoU.
According to the agreement, High Mark Bio-Gas Company will set up a pilot project of 22 megawatts of biomass gas in Punjab. The project will be completed within a short period of six months.
Besides Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Provincial Energy Minister Sher Ali Khan, Chairman Planning and Development, Secretaries of Energy, Agriculture, Information, Local Government and other concerned officials were also present on the occasion.
Sharif said signing of MoU between High Mark Bio-Gas Company and Punjab government with regard to biogas project was a welcoming step. He said vast opportunities of generating energy through bio-mass and biogas exist in Punjab and the provincial government will fully benefit from these opportunities. He said the experiences of foreign investors and companies would also be benefited in this regard so that energy crisis could be minimised at the earliest.
The chief minister said besides traditional sources, Pakistan Muslim League-N government was also working for generating energy through non-traditional sources. He said non-traditional sources are the cheap source of generating energy which would provide relief to the people.
Sharif said there was great potential of setting up bio-gas projects in Punjab and there was no shortage of fuel for the projects of biogas. He said energy crisis had made the life of common man miserable and the government was working on war footing for coping with this problem. The CM said Canadian Company will also carry out the process of mapping of waste used in biogas which will help in collecting authenticated data.
Sharif said that after the success of first pilot project, new projects of biogas would be started. Earlier, Chief Executive of Canadian High Mark Bio-Gas Company, Evan Chrapko met Shahbaz Sharif at Chief Minister’s Office. Muhammad Umar Ghaznavi was also present on the occasion.

Source: Daily Times

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Chenab, Jhelum likely to attain medium to high flood levels

Saturday, July 20, 2013 By M RAFIQUE GORAYA

The Flood Forecasting Centre has cautioned that the River Chenab at Marala and River Jhelum at Mangla may attain medium to high flood level on Saturday and Sunday. Nullahs of River Ravi & Chenab may also attain medium to high flood level after 36-hours.
It said moderate to heavy thunder showers with very heavy thunder showers at one or two places is expected over the upper catchments of River Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi & Sutlej along-with Gujranwala, Rawalpindi & Lahore Divisions. Thunder showers of moderate intensity may also occur over Sargodha and Faisalabad Divisions & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The wet spell may increase during next 48 hours.
SYNOPTIC SITUATION Seasonal low lies over Northwest Balochistan and adjoining areas with its trough extending Southeast wards. Monsoon currents are reaching into upper parts of the country. A fresh western disturbance is likely to approah upper parts f the country during next 48 hours.
WEATHER FORECAST FOR SATURDAY Wide spread thunder showers of moderate to heavy intensity with very heavy intensity at one or two places is expected over upper catchments of the river Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi & Sutlej along with Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala & Lahore divisions. Fairly wide spread thunder showers of moderate intensity is likely to occur over Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sahiwal divisions & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Isolated thunder showers would occur over Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Karachi, Kalat, Naseerabad, Sibbi and Zhob divisions, whereas weather will remain hot & humid in other parts of the country in next 48 hours.
Widespread rain-thundershower (with isolated heavy falls) associated with gusty winds is expected in Kashmir, Hazara, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sahiwal Lahore divisions and isolated places of Lower Sindh during next 24 hours. Weather remained hot & humid in most parts of the country. However, rain-thundershower occurred at a few places of Rawalpindi, Sahiwal divisions & Kashmir
HOTTEST PLACES PAST 24 HOURS Dalbandin 45°C, Nokkundi & Chillas 44°C, Sibbi, Bhakkar & Gilgit 43°C.

Source: Business Recorder

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Major GM food company Monsanto 'pulls out of Europe'

By Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent

Monsanto, one of the world's biggest and best known genetically modified crops companies, is effectively pulling out of Europe, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

The news is a major blow to the nascent British GM industry which ministers have been championing this year as fears grow about food security.

Monsanto, whose name is synonymous with GM crops, confirmed that it is withdrawing all of its EU applications for approval for new crops.

The decision is understood to affect as many as 10 applications for approval for new GM crops. It is understood that Monsanto is pulling all of its applications for crops in frustration at delays over clearing existing crops at EU level.

It does not affect clearance for an existing crop grown from GM seeds in Portugal and Spain.

Monsanto currently sells only one biotech seed product in Europe — a biotech corn which is modified to be resistant to a destructive pest called the European corn borer. It accounts for less than one per cent of the corn grown in the EU.

A company source pointed to the fact that the EU has not approved a new GM crop for cultivation since 1998, adding that it "currently has suspended the progression of cultivation files towards decisions for political reasons".

The source added: "As the EU today is effectively a conventional seed market we have been progressively de-emphasising cultivation of biotech crops in Europe.

"Amongst other things, this means we are no longer seeking approval to commercialise biotech seeds in the EU. We intend to withdraw pending regulatory applications for commercial cultivation of new biotech crops in the EU."

A Monsanto spokesman told The Daily Telegraph: "Monsanto´s business in Europe is very strong and growing. In order to better serve farmers in Europe we will be investing several hundred million dollars in Europe over a decade to expand our conventional seed production and breeding.

"In parallel, biotech crops are highly successful in the rest of the world. In order to fully support both of these success stories, we will no longer be pursuing approvals for cultivation of new biotech crops in Europe.

"Instead, we will focus on enabling imports of biotech crops into the EU and the growth of our current business there."

Monsanto is planning to invest hundreds million dollars in Europe through the end of the decade including €225 million ($300 million) in corn production plant expansions that are already under way in France, Hungary,

Romania and Turkey, creating more than 150 new full-time jobs and many more seasonal jobs.

The news comes just as the Government, led by Environment secretary Owen Paterson and Science minister David Willetts, lead a major push to persuade Britons to eat more GM food.

Source: The Telegraph

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Rawalpindi to have nine mini dams

Friday, 19 July 2013

In order to fulfil the needs of water for agricultural and other purposes, the Punjab government has decided to construct nine mini dams in Rawalpindi Division (Pothohar). The government has allocated Rs 9.74 billion for the project. The dams will be constructed in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal and the water will be used to fulfil the water needs of the division. Meanwhile, the government also allocated Rs 250 million for different projects to save the regions of drought, while Rs 7.50 billion have been reserved for providing the farmers with tube-wells running with solar-energy and biogas.

Source: Business Recorder

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Agriculture through SMS

July 18, 2013 

Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan. Half of the population’s direct source of income is agriculture. Agriculture is facing a lot of problems nowadays, which is resulting in increase in poverty ratio every year. We have first investigated the complete lifecycle of farming and have tried to find solutions to the problem faced by the farmer throughout the lifecycle.

The communication gap between farmers and agricultural information providers is the actual problem. Taking maximum advantages of technology we therefore need to develop a platform where farmers and agricultural information providers can communicate with much more ease as compared to typical communication methods.

The most convenient system can be of proper utilisation of the medium of mobile phone through SMS. The system has the functionality of automated query response feature which is very useful for the farmers. It is so encouraging to know that the Punjab Directorate of Agricultural Information has also launched this programme.

Most of the agriculture based countries especially in South Asia region are promoting and effectively utilising SMS Agriculture Information Services to keep their farmers updated and properly advised. This service is also working effectively in other countries like Kenya, South Africa, Thailand and India.

In order to make the system effective a translation module should also be included, making it easier to translate the common terminologies into local language in day to day farming. It is therefore believed that the success of implementation and management of this system will ultimately bring a viable change not only in farming applications but also it will help in maximising the yields of our crops.

Source: Pakistan Today

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