KASUR: The Rice Partners (Pvt) Ltd (RPL) in collaboration with Swiss Inter-cooperation and MARS Food Europe conducted one-day workshops in many cities of Kasur district for training rice farmers according to global rice standards of Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP). Reportedly, more than 500 rice growers participated in the training sessions. The facilitators underlined the current water scarce scenario in Pakistan, and urged rice growers to follow SRP standards while cultivating rice. The Water and Productivity (WAPRO) Project Manager Zafar Iqbal emphasised on the need to gather all rice growers under the umbrella of SRP. The training sessions observed that most of the rice farmers had adopted indigenous techniques for cultivating rice rather than modern methodology recommended by SRP standards. The RPL chief operating officer Muhammad Ali Tariq signified the essential relationship between United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and SRP. Meanwhile, the RPL senior advisor Dr Riaz Mann trained farmers regarding laser land leveling, Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) production, All-wheel Drive (AWD) technology and the leading factors of fast deterioration of the produce after harvest and contribute to high post-harvest losses. Published in Daily Times, July 1st 2018.