HYDERABAD: Twenty-two fields in various union councils of Umerkot, Sanghar and Badin districts have been selected for an experiment to grow two crops, initially wheat and sugar cane, on a single field with the target of achieving higher yield at lower cost under a project undertaken by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in collaboration with the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam.

The collaboration has been initiated under a programme titled ‘Transforming Indus Basin with Climate Resilient Agriculture and Water Management.

FAO is supporting farmers in selecting and using appropriate seed and fertiliser while SAU experts are providing technical assistance to them.

The experiment is to ensure economic prosperity of local farmers across the three districts through adoption of ‘intercropping’. The selected fields are to serve as testing grounds for innovative practice of intercropping, particularly focusing on sugar cane and wheat.

Addressing farmers, focal person of the project Dr Ghulam Murtaza Jamro said that farmers were facing serious challenges due to economic hardships and climate change. “Intercropping, which involves employing zero-tillage and raised bed, ridges sowing methods on the 22 demonstration plots, will result in higher yields at lower cost and get farmers benefit of two crops on a single field,” he said.

Prof Mohammad Mithal Jiskani said they were introducing modern agricultural practices to farmers and teaching them how to produce better and certified seeds from their own crops and how to protect them from uncertified and expensive seed.

Farmers Ali Hassan Pahore and Aijaz Ahmed Pahore appreciated the FAO-SAU collaboration to provide guidance to farmers on modern agricultural practices, intercropping and better seed to be produced from their personal crops.

SAU Vice Chancellor Dr Fateh Marri expressed his satisfaction over results of the collaboration.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2024