Measures being taken to increase production of pulses: PARC chief

The import of pulses may be overcome by quality seed, promoting pulses cultivation and increment in per acre production, said Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Chairman Dr Yusuf Zafar. He was addressing international conference on "The sustainable agriculture" arranged by the US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture Faisalabad.
He said that measures are being taken to increase pulses productivity as per domestic needs. He said that the country was having surplus major crops including wheat rice, corn and sugarcane. But per acre production was very low compared to the rest of the world. He stressed upon the need to promote crop management technologies with the joint efforts on the part of all stakeholders including researchers, public and private sector, government institutions and the farming community. He said that Pakistani farmers are facing various challenges including soil degradation, changing prices of inputs, lack of suitable agricultural machinery, imbalance use of fertilizer and burning of crop residues. He stressed the need to improve crop management to achieve better yields.
UAF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that by the 2050, the country population will double. He said that it is a great challenge for the researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders to ensure the food amid the situation of climate changes. He cautioned that agricultural land was squeezing and being converted into residential colonies. He said it is the time to work jointly for putting the deserted land into the agricultural productive land. He showed his concern that the farmers' sons don't want to become farmers. He said that the Punjab government was devising a new agricultural policy meant for addressing woos of farmers and making the sector self-sufficient and profitable.
Former Information Minister Nisar Memon stressed upon the need for long-term research experiment under climate change scenarios. He said that amid the climate changes and glaciers are melting whereas the floods, droughts and famines-like situation are bringing heavy loss not only in financial term but also taking the lives of the people. He said that per capita water availability had drastically decreased. He called for promoting the new water conservation methods and dams for the cause.
Former Speaker National Assembly Dr Fakhar Imam said that the country was wasting huge quantity of water due to lack of reservoirs. He said that since the last many decades, we didn't construct big dams. He said that per acre water availability had decreased manifold. Dr Qamar-ur-Zaman from the Dalhousie University Canada said that there is the need to promote the precision agriculture in order to make the agricultural sector efficient. He said Pakistan was blessed with the tremendous resources. There is the need to tap the potential.