HYDERABAD: Agriculture Experts, Academia, progressive farmers, Government and agro-industry stakeholders have proposed to intensify joint research for modern agriculture, marketing and certified seeds in Sindh and to produce vegetables, fruits and their products up to international standards.
Expressing their views on the importance of modern agriculture and investment for development, the experts said that investment by the public and private sector in agriculture and implementation of modern agricultural methods was expected to increase the country’s GDP by 6 percent expected to reduce the poverty rate by 50 percent by 2030.
An MoU signing ceremony among educational, industrial and government institutions for onion seed research was held at the Senate Hall of Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) on Wednesday, large number of Farmers, Faculty, Agriculture Experts and Researchers participated in the tripartite agreement among University, Sindh Enterprises Development Fund and HS Group of companies for research on various new varieties of onion through Dutch technology.
SAU Vice Chancellor Dr. Fateh Marri presided over the event, while Syed Qasim Naveed, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Investment, was the special guest. VC Dr. Fateh Marri, CEO Sindh Enterprise Development Fund Mehboob ul Haq and CEO HS Group of Companies Anwar Ahmed , signed the MoU.
According to the agreement, seeds of the world’s top 20 onion varieties will be produced through Dutch technology, according to local climate at the Plant Quarantine Research Station at SAU, and will later be distributed to seed farmers, onion seeds will be able to produce twice in 5 months while their production capacity will be 100% and the yield would be 6 times more than local varieties, and shelf life and size of these commodities are better for export.
On the occasion Dr. Fateh Marri said that the government should provide loans in easy instalments to the farmers for the development of agriculture to meet seeds, fertilizers and other agricultural needs, he said that if the government invests Rs. 20 billion and the private sector Rs 80 billion in agriculture and they are producing better yields through certified seeds, they can contribute to the country’s GDP of 6%, through exporting their agriculture products, while the poverty rate can be reduced by 50% and employment can be increased by 50% and the problem of food security can also be solved, he said and added that research work on disease free mango, wheat, cotton, vegetable seeds is going on at our established research station.
Special Assistant to the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qasim Naveed said that universities are at the hub of agricultural development in the world where experts, farmers, Industries innovative research and new trends in food security are being introduced.
He said, with the development of agriculture, Sindh and the people of the province will develop; we will work together with Sindh Agriculture University on various projects.
He said that the principles of export and value chain could create new avenues of development for the farmers. CEO, Sindh Enterprises Development Fund Mehboob-ul-Haq said that with the establishment of Plant Quarantine Research Station in the SAU, research will be done on Dutch technology of onion, which will enable export quality onions.
Chairman Left Bank Canal Area Water Board, Qabool Mohammad Khatian, said that the import of agricultural varieties became more expensive due to the rise in the value of the dollar while the shortage of water has also caused significant damage to agriculture, however, IRSA did not provide the required supply of irrigation water to Sindh Province, adding that the students of the university have to improve the quality of research and academic as in future they will face many challenges in agriculture and exports.
Farmers leader Syed Nadeem Shah Jamote said that Sindh Agriculture University had filled the gap in farmers, researchers, industry and government.
CEO of HS Group of Companies Anwar Hussain said that India was one of the largest exporters of onions in the world, there was a need for research on export quality commodities through the joint cooperation of all stakeholders.
Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar and Dr. Zahoor Soomro also addressed the gathering.