Canola Cultivation in Arid Area 
By Abdul Sattare Anjum

The edible oil import costs can be controlled with the canola cultivation in arid areas and to meet the local dietary needs.

It was said  on 11.09.2014 by Dr. Muh. Azeem Khan, Director General, National
Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad during a farmers gathering on a farm-house of a local farmer at village Karsal , Tala Gang , District Chakwal.

As the “staff of life” to multitudes, annual harvest assessments are important.

A local farmer group, Local Support Organization (LSO) Kersal administered by the National Rural Support Program.

To strengthen the theme of APNA UGAAO, APNA HKAAO, organized this participatory training program.

He said that economic development would be revolutionary due to cluster/family agriculture in arid areas, so the farming community would be facilitated with PARC hybrid Canola seed besides a seed-dressing product Biozote on cheap rates.

 Moreover, tractor drills would be made available to support the smallholder clusters to overcome the hindrances during sowing and other farm practices.

NARC expert teams would be working in these areas for the guidance of the cluster farmers even with the follow up program up to harvesting.

On the occasion, he promised that a PARC component PATCO would extend it support regarding purchase of commodity from farmers on higher rates to boost up the smallholder family income.

Furthermore, the cultivation of soya bean and olive would also be considered a high priority in addition to other crops such as oil seeds, wheat and pulses.

He mentioned about some mutual projects with PARC and National Rural Support Program (NRSP) for the wellbeing of the people of arid areas in near future.

After this, NARC experts Dr. Muhammad Ayub Khan (PL.,Oilseed Program), Dr. Abdul Rashid, Dr. Muhammad Amjad and Director Outreach Mr.Roshan Zada delivered lectures on PARC Canola hybrid from selection of site up to harvesting and storage.

Tariq Sultan (PATCO) and  Abdul Sattar Anjum (Directorate of Outreach) were also present to facilitate the farming community with printed literature and sharing experiences during seed drill demonstration with experts of Farm Machinery Institute, NARC and farmers.

After this, Sayyed Muhammad Nasir Ali, Managing Director, Pakistan Oil Seed Development Board expressed his views as a revolutionary step for economic development of the smallholders of the arid areas.

 He said that canola cultivation would fulfill the domestic needs and also family health would be improved with the use of cholesterol free healthy oil.

This crop would be  helpful in environmental beauty along with beneficial for the honey production.

At the end, Malik Fateh Khan NRSP Coordinator, denoted this campaign, a better economic future for the people of the arid areas.

He advised the farming community to keep in touch with NARC agricultural experts regarding crop production for their better livelihoods.   

More information can be taken from Abdul Sattare Anjum Scientific Officer Directorate of Outreach NARC Islamabad  (03435047421) and Dr. Muhammad Ayub Khan (051-90733682) regarding Canola Hybrids and its cultivation.

September 2014

Courtesy: Pakissan Yahoo Forum