ISLAMABAD
The Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) has trained about 100,000 farmers of rice, wheat, maize and sugarcane crops across the country during last four years.
The farmers were trained under USAID funded Agriculture Innovation Programme (AIP), which would be concluded by the end of current year, said an official of PARC.
Under the programme, the farmers of wheat, rice, maize and vegetables were provided different training of soil testing, seed selection, water management and adoption of innovative technologies to enhance crop per-acre crop yield, he added.
He said that under the programme latest technology of crop sowing including zero tillage wheat and ridge planting of wheat were disseminated among the farmers.
In order to enhance the rice output, direct seeding for rice (DSR) technology were also provided to farmers, whereas field extension, research institution and universities were also involved in the programme.
Under AIP agronomy project, CIMMYT, in collaboration with national partners had reached to 12,000 farmers and disseminated zero tillage, ridge planting and better nutrient management techniques.
For the programme, he said that USAID had provided $ 15 million for 4 years programme, which was implemented through CIMMYT, PARC and other stakeholder.
The agriculture professionals from various provincial and federal research institutes, agriculture extension, universities, private companies and international research centers involved in agronomy research and dissemination of technologies among the farming community were also trained.
Besides, 15 students from leading agriculture universities of the country were selected for Phd in US universities under the programme, he added.
