Agricultural reforms to reduce losses: minister

LAHORE:Modern technology is being provided to farmers and the system of agricultural markets is being reformed to reduce post-harvest losses of crops, said Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi here Thursday.

Speaking at the webinar organised by the University of Agricultural Faisalabad (UAF) here in the provincial metropolis in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, the minister said farmers have been provided a subsidy of Rs 4.4 billion on modern agricultural machinery and certified seeds of crops.

The Punjab government is also reforming the system of agricultural markets under the Punjab Agricultural Marketing and Regulatory Authority and providing cold storage facilities in model markets. Agriculture minister added that steps taken to increase the shelf life of palms in Saudi Arabia could be followed by reducing the post-crop losses of all crops by adopting modern technology. Representatives and researchers of ADB including VC Agriculture University Faisalabad Rao Iqrar Ahmad Khan, VC MNS Agricultural University Multan Dr Asif Ali, DG Agriculture (Water Management) Malik M Akram participated in the webinar.

environment: Provincial Minister for Environmental Protection Department Muhammad Rizwan has written a letter to the authorities concerned for the inclusion of the environment as a subject in the syllabus to promote the vision of Green Pakistan. The minister said PM Imran Khan has a vision of green Pakistan with special focus on global warming challenges and betterment of the environment. This objective could only be achievable by educating the younger generation. This measure is necessary to prevent environmental pollution throughout Pakistan, he added.

Plant for Pakistan: Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), in collaboration with a religious organisation, organised a Plant for Pakistan campaign at Farhabad Family Park, Shahdara here Thursday. Officials said 400 people participated in the campaign and planted 400 saplings in one minute. On the occasion, PHA Chairman Engineer Yasir Gilani said that according to the PM’s vision, the city of Lahore would be made green. He congratulates the members of Dawat-e-Islami for their participation in the campaign.