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Food Security Pilot Project
increases per acre wheat and rice yield
ISLAMABAD-Food Security Pilot Project assisted by Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) has helped increase per acre
yield of Wheat and Rice.
Official sources stated here on September 12, 2001 that FAO is
providing necessary assistance and cooperation to the growers
and farmers community and during Phase-I project, villages "Malo-
Mahay" in Daska Tehsil of Sialkot District and "44-SB" in
Sargodha District of Punjab and village "Loke" in D.I.Khan
District, of NWFP were selected as pilot areas.
The productivity at village level of first wheat crop (1998-
99) under this project enhanced by 51.5% at Daska and 28.0% at
Sargodha over benchmark productivity level. Productivity of
second wheat crop (1999-2000) increased by 61.5% and 62.9% at
Sargodha and Daska pilot sites, respectively . Increase in
wheat productivity at village level in D.I.Khan was to the
tune of 168% during Rabi 1999-2000 .
Under the Pilot Project , modern agriculture technology is
being transferred to the growers and farmers of the village
for enhancing per acre yield of different crops especially
rice and wheat. The main objectives of this programme is to
supplement the country's ongoing efforts to increase food
production through increasing productivity for improving
national food security and meet rapidly growing food demand as
well as to reduce seasonal and year to year variability in
production on economically and environmentally sustainable
basis.
The approach of this programme is technology-led and farmers
participation at all stages, field activities will be
implemented under farmers leadership and participation while
the programme will provide technical assistance and means and
tools required for effective implementation. The programme is
multi-disciplinary covering the whole process in the system.
Sustainability: Provincial Governments provide technical
services at each project village to guide and assist farmers
at their door-step.
For ensuring future sustainability, Input Sale Center (ISC),
Farm Services Center (FSC) and Revolving Fund Account (RFA)
have been established at each village . Small scale poultry
farming, bee keeping establishment of plant nursery and fish
farming were introduced for income diversification. The SPFS
pilot project provided 500 birds at Sargodha and a shed of
1000 sq feet. Looking at the profitability of this trade, the
farmers by their own investment, built seven additional sheds
having 11,000 sq feet covered area and put 12,000 one day old
layer chicks for initiating second cycle of rural poultry
farming.
The 11 fold increase in poultry shed area and 24 fold increase
in number of chicks was possible in one years time. The bee
farming also rapidly popularized and number of bee colonies
grew by 56% from 50 to 78 during the same period. On average,
each farmer got five honey crops producing 2127 Kg of honey
giving an average gross return of Rs 30,424 to each farmer
within 22 months time. The total cost of look after and
transportation of five bee boxes was about Rs 8500 during the
same period. This gives a net profit of Rs 21,924 to each
farmer from five bee boxes. This kind of profit is equivalent
to an earning from 6 acres of wheat crop, 21/2 acres of cotton
crop and 5 acres of rice crop. The farmers are planning to
increase their bee colonies and some farmers are planing to
make new boxes and sell those to interested farmers.
September 13, 2001
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