RAWALPINDI: The Agriculture Department of Punjab has provided quality seeds free of cost through balloting to 4824 farmers in Rawalpindi division during the 2017-18 financial year, while revolutionary steps have also been taken for the promotion of agriculture in the Potohar region.
The environment and soil of the Potohar region are different from the other areas of Punjab and the department is making an all-out effort to support and guide the farmers of the region said Director Agriculture (Ext) Rawalpindi Division, Sajjad Haider.
Talking to media he said, the department is taking solid steps to provide latest technologies at the door-steps of farmers in accordance with the vision of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif aimed at enhancing per-acre agriculture production.
Various interventions of soil and water conservation are very useful for the farmers of Potohar region, he added.
He said under the Kissan Package, the farmers are being registered and given interest-free loans. For the first time in the history, the small farmers who have twelve and a half acres of land are also being registered for the soft loans programs.
The agriculture department Punjab, Information Technology Board in collaboration with Telenor Pakistan has established Connected Agriculture Platform (CAP). The farmers registered under Kissan Package are being provided 3G/4G smartphones at a cost of Rs1000 and tenants at Rs500, he added.
The smartphones with apps like Agriculture TV, Crops Calendar, and Expert Opinion are being provided to the farmers to facilitate them for getting more yield from their crops.
