Daily Times

Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) organized a field workshop, “Handing over and Demonstration of Seed Grader to Growers Group at Lani Wala, Attock”, here on Thursday, under ACIAR Pulses Project-04.

The main objective of the workshop was to hand over a seed grader for Chickpea and Groundnut crop to the farmers group of Lani wala, its demonstration and inauguration of the Village Based Seed System run by the local growers’ group. Almost 70 participants (contact growers) from Fateh Jang, Pindighaib and Jand areas participated this event. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem, Vice Chancellor PMAS-AAUR was the chief guest while Dr. Shahid Riaz Malik, Country Head, ACIAR Pulses Project and Program Leader Pulses Program, National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad also participated the event.

While addressing, the Chief Guest, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem, Vice Chancellor PMAS-AAUR appreciated the efforts of the project team for arranging such a nice interactive platform for local growers. He said that the project was providing better services to the farmers of the area and it would definitely solve the issues faced by farming community of Attock. He handed over the Seed Grader to the Growers’ group and emphasized to ensure its proper utilization for the common grower of the area. An Agreement was also signed between the parties for proper utilization of this machine by the farming community.

Dr. Shahid Riaz Malik briefed the participants about the project initiatives at national level and impacts of various initiatives of the carried out during the project period. A faculty member of Arid Varsity, Dr. Ghulam Shabbir talked about the need for establishment of Village based Seed System at local level. Local farmers also spoke at the occasion and expressed high satisfaction on project interventions and explained how the productivity and profitability of Chick pea and Peanut crops was increasing by adopting the production technology of the project.

Mr. Jameel Akhtar, Zonal Maanger NRSP, shared his views about the collaboration of the project and NRSP concerning capacity building of the growers and dissemination of new technology through field days and demonstration plots. Earlier, welcome addressed was delivered by Prof. Dr. Ata ul Mohsin (Project Coordinator, AAUR Component) in which he welcome the participants, shared the objectives of the workshop and detailed program of the workshops. Later, conducing a Q&A session, the workshop ended with a vote of thanks by Dr. Zahid Akram Chairman, Dept. of Plant Breeding & Genetics. Later, the Chief Guest also inaugurated the Village Based Seed System, Lani Wala (an Enterprise jointly run by the local growers’ group).