WB bringing green revolution to Sindh
KARACHI: The Sindh government in collaboration with World Bank (WB) has conceived mega development projects to modernise agriculture sector, improve its productivity and its access to market.
The Sindh Agriculture Growth Project (SAGP) has been launched with total estimated cost of Rs 8867.463 million, similarly another project of Sindh Irrigated Agricultural Productivity Enhancement Project (SIAPEP) has also been prepared with estimated cost of Rs 30 billion and was likely be launched within months.
This would bring green revolution and increase productivity and farm income to better socio-economic condition of farmers.
Presiding over a meeting to expedite implementation on SAGP recently launched with 86 percent financial assistance of total cost from WB, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said agriculture, including livestock was only sector, which was providing income and employment to 70 percent to 80 percent population of this province.
Qaim said by lining of a part of Rohri Canal, 20,000 acre of land has been reclaimed near Nawabshah.
“Khairpur and Sukkur have great potential for dates production but our verities are not compatible in international market.”
He asked project management to import date plants of high quality from the United Arab Emirates or other country and introduce latest technology including establishment of tissue culture laboratory, cold storage maturation and proceeding plants on modern lines.
SAGP has been conceived to improve productivity and market access of small and medium producers in onion, chillies, dates and rice products and avoid post harvest loss through efficient management and modern technology.
Planning Development Additional Chief Secretary Muhammad Wasim said Rs 6236.778 million were reserved for agriculture component while reaming amount of Rs 2630.685 million for livestock components of Agriculture Department would be paid soon.
Rs 1226.225 million are included which will be contributed by formers/community. While rest of the money would be from WB as a soft loan.
Executive Committee of National Economic Council in February 2014 approved this project but after completing all formalities including project agreement this project started in July 2014 and it would be completed in June 2019. This project would benefit overall 112,000 farmers.
Agriculture Additional Secretary Agha Abdul Qadir said that by implementing this project productivity of red chillies would increase from 2.6 tonnes per hectare to 3.27 tonnes per hectare, similarly onion production to enhance from 12 tonnes per hectare to 20 tonnes likewise dates to increase from 8.15 tonnes to 9 tonnes per hectare and rice from 3.3 tonnes per hectare to 4.5 tonnes per hectare.
He said 31,020 chillies farmers, 33,360 onion farmers, 40,000 rice farmers and 7,980 date growers would be benefited.
Sindh Minister for Livestock Jam Khan Shoro said, “We have started implementation in last July 2014 and established Project Management Unit (PMU) each at Hyderabad, Tharparkar and Mirpurkhas. We are going to establish artificial insemination centre at Tando Jam.”
He said Tharparkar District has great potential of animal and we have identified 16 milk pockets in Tharparkar and 5 milk pockets in Mirpurkhas district where chilling centres and dairy farming schemes were underway.
WB bringing green revolution to Sindh