Pak delegation meets Punjab CM to boost technology transfer in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

CHANDIGARH:A high powered 18-member delegation of progressive farmers from Pakistan led by Vice Chairman Farmers Associates Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi Monday called on Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and evinced keen interest for technology transfer in the field of agriculture to increase the production of wheat, cotton, maize, barley and sugarcane both qualitatively and quantitatively. 



The members of the delegation shared their experiences with the Chief Minister that how they have improved the quality of these crops substantially in Pakistan. 

They also dwelled on the prospects of allied agriculture in terms of animal husbandry, fishery, dairy, bee-keeping, horticulture and floriculture as traditional agriculture was no more remunerative and profitable in Pakistan also alike India. 

Showing deep concern over the depletion of ground water table especially in Indian Punjab, the delegation urged the Chief Minister to take effective measures to reverse this trend otherwise it would create an abnormal situation beyond one's control and jeopardize the future of our generations. 

Gardezi informed the Chief Minister that 92% of Pakistan's agriculture depended on canal irrigation which was quite efficient and hardly 8 to 10% relied on tubewell irrigation. 


He invited Badal to lead a delegation of progressive farmers to study the cropping pattern of Pakistan and impressed upon him to initiate steps for technology transfer between the Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana and Agricultural University Faislabad especially in the crops of cotton in which their country had excelled in the production of long staple cotton. 

Likewise Indian Punjab had made significant contribution in the production of wheat and sugarcane with high quality and maximum yield per acre as compared to Pakistan.  

Badal also pointed out that Punjab had a proven track record and rich experience of quality production of kinow which could be replicated in Pakistan too as both countries had almost same soil texture and climatic conditions. 

The Chief Minister also asked the delegation to undertake a programme to improve the quality of milch cattle through a technology exchange programme between the Guru Angad Dev University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences Ludhiana and University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore. 

Badal said that the buffalo breed of Nilli Ravi and Murrah besides Sahiwal breed of cows could be further improved in Punjab through mutual cooperation in research and development programme. 


The visiting delegation was on week-long workshop on Total Agriculture-cum Field Visits: Farmers Connecting India and Pakistan through knowledge-sharing on agriculture from March 23-29, 2008 at Centre for Research in Rural & Industrial Development (CRRID). 

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Financial Commissioner Agriculture RS Sandhu, Chairman Punjab State Farmers Commission Dr.GS Kalkat, Hony. Senior Advisor CRRID Dr.SK Mangal and Principal Advisor CRRID PS Sahai.

The other members of the delegation included Chief Coordinator Farmers Associates Pakistan Muhammad Idrees, Director Punjab Institute of Agriculture Marketing Munir Ahmed, Deputy Managing Director Punjab Seed Corporation Abdul Shakoor Shaad, CEO Punjab Agriculture Research Board Dr.Mubarik Ali and Vice Chancellor University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences Prof. Muhammad Nawaz.