KHYBER: For the first time, the agriculture department has successfully carried out the test farming of bittercress (caralluma tuberculata) in Bara and Landi Kotal areas here in order to attract local farmers towards the cultivation of the profitable crop.

Bittercress, called `chunga` in Urdu and `pamankay` in Pashto, is mostly found in dry hilly terrain and is considered a wild vegetable, with a price of Rs1,200-1,400 per kg.

Bara agriculture officer Sharafat Khan told Dawn that his department assisted farmers in Loe Shalman area of Landi Kotal to grow the wild vegetable on their sandy fields while in Bara, the same specie was cultivated in around one hundred clay pots on experiment al basis.

He said that both experiments were successful and now his department was approaching more interested farmers in the entire Khyber district to cultivate Chunga on theirfields as the current weather conditions of March were considered most conducive for its cultivation.

The official said that farmers had the option to get the seeds of bittercress or use two or three stems for new cultivation with stems having the most success rate of speedy growth in about seven months.

He said that a number of farmers had already been imparted capacity building training by his department while they were also given adequate information about the cultivation and look after of the new vegetable crop.

Bitter in taste like bitter gourd, the green colour cacti shaped bittercress has medicinal benefits for patients of diabetes, blood pressure and heart ailments, Sharafat Khan said.

`The plant is hard in nature which could survive harsh weather conditions with less water. It could also provide financial benefits to the local farmers,` he said.

TRAINING WORKSHOP: The National Integrated Development Association Pakistan on Tuesday con-ducted a two-day training workshop for livestock farmers in the Bara area here.

As many as 150 farmers from 10 village councils attended the workshop and received training regarding livestock, according to a statement issued by the association here.

The objective of this training workshop was to educate livestock farmers on modern methods and enhance their capabilities so that they can take better care of their animals and increase their income alongside vital information about Animal health and disease prevention Animal feed and nutrition Animal breeding Livestock business opportunities.

Around 100 farmers were also provided with necessary equipment so that they can take better care of their livestock. This training workshop was supervised by Nida Pakistan officers Mir Mohammad, Faiz Mohammad Khan and Zahir Khan. They provided all possible assistance to the landowners during the training.