(Publish from Houston Texas USA)
(Zafar Chishti)
Progressive farmer Mumtaz Khan Manais demonstrates the operation of modern agricultural technology at his farm to Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, along with agricultural experts.
FAISALABAD: Amid the situation of decreasing agricultural land, low per acre productivity and food insecurity concerns, it is prerequisite to promote the mechanization and latest agricultural practices to ensure the food for ever-increasing population.
It was stated by former Livestock Minister and progressive farmer Mumtaz Khan Manais while talking to a delegation of University of Agriculture Faisalabad experts who visited his model farms in Tibba Sultanpur Vehari.
The delegation was led by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali. The delegation visited citrus orchard, cotton, onion , livestock, wheat fields, fisheries, biogas plants and others.
Mumtaz Manais said it is a matter of concern that farmers’ sons do not want to become farmers. He said that mechanization was a way forward to save the resources, boost up productivity and address the pest issue. He urged the experts to come up with tangible policy recommendations that will herald the agricultural prosperity. He added that students of the agricultural sciences must be equipped with the field training to be aware with farmers’ issues. He said that the country was equipped with four seasons, but we were unable to tap the potential.Talking about the livestock, he added livestock sector has the potential to rescue the economy. He said that the halal meat global market was 300 billion dollars while Pakistan share in it is only 300 million.UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali said:” Manais farm is a model for the farming community that is based on mechanization and latest practices”. He added that agriculture was the backbone of economy, contributing to 23 percent to GDP . The decreasing agricultural land and deteriorating soil health demand innovative intervention in this sector to meet the demands of the increasing population, he said, adding that with the latest practice, we can not only increase the productivity but also make agriculture a profitable sector. He lauded the measures being taken on the part of the government to address the farmers issue and for agricultural uplift. He said:” UAF is committed to ensure the food security, produce tangible research work, technology development, trained manpower and outreach.” He was accompanied by Dr Shahid Mehmood, Dr Babar Shahbaz, Dr Rao Zahid Abbas, Dr Asif Kamran, Dr Azeem Iqbal, Dr Ahmad Sattar, Dr Waseem Akram, Dr Nadeem Akbar, Dr Muhammad Tehseen Azhar, Dr Anwarul Haq, Dr Abdur Rehman, Dr Zain Ul Abdin, Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, Dr Muhammad Aslam, Dr Muhammad Sharif, Dr Nadeem Abbas, Dr Hammad Badar, Dr Muhammad Naveed, Dr Shafia Gul, Dr Bushra Sadia, Dr Humaira Razzaq, Dr Rashad Rasul, Dr Muzammil, Dr Fahad Rasheed, Dr Muhammad Azam , Dr Waseem, Dr Saddam Hussain, Dr Atiq, Dr Furqan Asghar and others.
The team witnessed the latest agricultural practices and praised the steps being taken on the part of Manais model farm.
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