FAISALABAD: Modern trends and tangible researches should be disseminated at doorsteps of farmers to make agriculture profitable in addition to achieving food security in the country, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan.
Chairing a meeting of the Punjab Agriculture Strategy Plan 2023-2033, he said that agriculture was facing soil fertility, inputs, mechanizations, markets, water, seeds, fertilizers and other issues. He said that the fertility of land was decreasing with the passage of time for which agricultural recommendations would have to be adopted.
He said that most of the agricultural land of Punjab was utilized on wheat and rice cultivation. If effective irrigation is promoted in these crops, a huge amount of water can be saved, he maintained.
He called for boosting cooperation among government, private and other institutions for agricultural development. “Adaptation of mechanization in this agricultural sector is the need of the hour for improving the e
conomic condition of farmers and increasing production. Efforts are being made on problem-solving research so that workable strategies can be developed by solving the real problems of farmers,” he added.
He said that due to market and input problems, farmers were unable to get due profits. He expressed his concern that fertile agricultural land was being used for housing colonies and other purposes. “Agriculture can be improved with an agro-ecological zone and cluster system,” he added.
Vice Chancellor Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan Prof Dr Asif Ali, Pro-Vice Chancellor/ Dean Agriculture UAF Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sarwar Khan, Deans Dr. Ijaz Ahmad Bhatti, Dr. Qamar Bilal, Dr. Masood Sadiq Butt, Dr. Khalid Mushtaq, Chief Executive PARB Dr. Abid Mehmood, Director Research UAF Dr. Jafar Jaskani, Dr Jibran, Principal Officer Public Relations Dr. Muhammad Jalal Arif, Dr Asif Kamran, Director Wheat Ayub Research Dr. Javed and others were also present.