LANDI KOTAL: The Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations distributed wheat and vegetable seeds among 11,300 recently returned families of Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency.

The distribution of wheat seeds along with seasonal vegetable seeds was part of the United Nations plan for revitalising farming in the militancy-affected areas of Federally Administered Tribal Areas prior to the cultivation of Rabi crops.

Officials said that seeds were distributed among 1,348 recently returned families of Shalobar, 4,300 Sipah, 5,681 Akkakhel, 1,179 Kamarkhel, 1,155 Malakdinkhel and 525 Sturikhel families.

Gul Mohammad, the project director of the programme, told Dawn that timely distribution of seeds would help the local farmers to avoid buying substandard seeds from open market at inflated rates.

He said that FAO not only provided local farmers with free seeds but they were also extended technical assistance in sowing the seeds and levelling of their cultivable lands.

`The purpose of the exercise is to encourage local farmers to depend on their own cultivated produces and limit their reliance on purchasing flour and vegetables from market,` said Mr Mohammad.Correspondent