TOBA TEK SINGH: University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Dr Zulfiqar Alihas called for the adoption of modern wheat production technologies, quality seed and scientific cultivation practices to bridge the yield gap and strengthen Pakistan’s food security.
He was addressing a gathering of farmers at Chak 125-GB, Jaranwala as part of a 10-day wheat production awareness campaign being jointly conducted by the UAF and the Punjab agriculture department.
He said increasing wheat productivity was vital for ensuring national food self-sufficiency, improving farmers’ income and avoiding imports. He emphasised that the integration of agricultural research with farmers’ practical experience could unlock the enormous potential of the country’s wheat sector. He advised growers to prefer drill sowing and superseeders over the traditional broadcast method, explaining that row sowing ensured uniform seed placement, reduced seed consumption and facilitated efficient crop management. He pointed out that progressive farmers were now achieving yields exceeding 80 maunds per acre.
Agriculture Director General Dr Shahbaz Akhtar urged farmers to complete wheat sowing till Nov 20 to ensure optimum crop establishment and productivity.
UAF Faculty of Agriculture Dean Dr Ghulam Murtaza said more than 30,000 UAF students participated in the 10-day wheat awareness campaign, visiting villages across Punjab.
Progressive farmer Zia Alamdar Hussain, Jaranwala Assistant Commissioner Ziaullah Gondal, Dr Muhammad Naveed and Faisalabad Agriculture Director Khalid Mahmood also spoke. Correspondent