A World Bank mission recently held meetings with agricultural officers and farmers to review the progress on the Sindh agriculture growth project (SGAP), which entered the implementation phase in October last year.

The mission visited different areas where project is to be executed in agriculture and livestock sectors. Tendering process is being undertaken by the provincial government for implements and machinery — for use by the growers.

This project is designed to support small and medium size growers in eight selected districts, more districts will be gradually covered by the programme. It will focus on minor crops like onion, chillies, rice and dates and help farmers and agriculture officers become used to better farm practices, minimise crop losses and fetch better price of their produces.

The project aims to stem 30-40pc losses in the rice crop on account of processing practices

The value addition is the main objective. A funding formula of 70-30pc debt equity ratio has been worked out for purchase of implements and other farm inputs. The WB mission met onion and chilli growers in Umerkot and Tando Allahyar to see how they are working, shared project’s objectives with them and discussed how they have to proceed.

The Sindh government, says Director General Agriculture Extension Sindh Hidayatullah Chhajro, intends to ensure that the gap in per acre yields is minimised and growers derive maximum benefits of increased per acre productivity with improved farm practices. Not only farmers but agriculture officers are to be trained under SGAP over a period of five years. “It will be our effort that value addition is done and farmers come up with quality produce in the market which is at par with other competitors,” says the DG.

Mahmood Nawaz Shah, who is a member of the SGAP’s provincial steering committee and vice president of Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) feels that so far needed substantive consultation or engagement of stakeholders has not yet taken place. “I have been telling the department that if they start procuring technology or equipments or anything else that does not suit our environment, it will be pretty useless and wastage of money,” he stressed. For instance, he adds, sprouting issue in onion is a big problem hampering its export but no one knows how this is going to be tackled.

An officer connected with the SGAP, while requesting not to be named, points out that Sindh agriculture department is a bit slow, considering the fact that agreement was signed last year in October. “You are aware of working style and culture of Sindh government officers; they are still sitting in offices and haven’t approached the growers,” he says, and adds that transparency should be ensured through regular coordination so that farmers make the maximum gains.

The WB mission visited Kunri’s chilli market, and according to a noted chilli grower Mian Saleem was disappointed to see existing market conditions and those of research station. Mian Saleem shared his experience with them as to how afflatoxin issue is controlled. He was of the view that a plant breeder, plant pathologist, quality seed and afflatoxin kits are needed to increase productivity of chilli and check the disease. The mission hinted at improving trading platforms in the Kunri market under public private partnership.

Sindh government had initiated SGAP in 2014-15 budget; it’s modalities were being worked out for improving productivity and market accessibility. The value addition in livestock sector would be separately and independently dealt with by SGAP having an allocation of Rs2,630m. A project director has been appointed. Capacity building, dairy value chain, rehabilitation of veterinary hospitals and dispensaries and establishment of artificial insemination (AI) training centre are major features of the project.

An implementation unit has been set up for Tharparkar district — currently under grip of severe drought for the third straight year — to cover Mirpurkhas district also. According to a livestock officer 150,000 litres of milk per day is still obtained in the desert in these harsh conditions from cows alone. “Chilling plants will be set up with the private sector’s participation to collect and process available milk”, says Abdul Qadir Junejo, project director for livestock component. The market price of milk would be ensured for the livestock breeders. Livestock related officers note that Sindh contributes 30pc of Pakistan’s milk production but its yields are still on the lower side as compared to many countries.

The project aims to stem 30-40pc losses in rice crop on account of processing practices. It would finance threshers for the use of farmers and paddy dryers for the use of small mill operators besides soil and moisture testing kits, conductivity meters, etc on cost sharing basis to modernise Sindh’s rice management and increase productivity by an estimated 20pc.

In case of date crop, focus will be on tissue culture’s promotion and on disease-free dates plant. Laboratory working in Khairpur is to be upgraded. An Agriculture Research Development Fund headed by Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam will look into financing research on minor crops and livestock, and come up with workable proposals.

Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, February 23rd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play