SWABI: Farmers belonging to different areas have said that with the new farming technology they can get the desired yield while cultivating various cropsround theyear.

Talking to Dawn here on Monday they said as the old method of farming was being replaced with the modern technology they were getting more yield both in grains and vegetables.

They said agriculture was self-employed field where majority of people earned their livelihood with dignity and honour, and asked the government to take practical measures to modernise the sector.

They said that most of the farmers were illiterate who stuck to the outdated methods of farming due to which they failed to get the desired yield.

Ismail Jan Khan, provincial general secretary of Anjuman-i-Kashtkaran, said: `The technology and converting arid land into irrigated land can help the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government meet the grain needs of the increasing population.

He called for educating the farmers on advantages of utilising the modern machinery and disadvantages of sticking with the old techniques of farming.

He maintained that use of technology had many positive factors.

Azam Khan, president of Kashthkar Coordination Council, said there was need to create such working environment where the agriculture officers guided all those farmers who lacked knowledge about the use of technology, and various other modern methods to enhance their produce.

He said that as majority of farmers had small land holdings the government should not ignore them in the policy formulation.

The small farmers should also get incentives given to landlords who have no problem in getting bank loans and other facilities offered by the government, Mr Azam demanded.

The government should realise the plight of peasants who always remained trapped in financial difficulties, said a leader of local growers Alam Sher Gohati