HYDERABAD, March 5: Member Bio-Sciences, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Abdul Rasheed, has said that the participation of farmers in the farmers day and their keen interest in the latest agriculture research would bring about an agricultural revolution in the country.

He was speaking as chief guest at a farmers day annual function organised by Nuclear Institute of Agriculture Tandojam, here on Wednesday. He said that the interest of the farmers in agriculture research would also go a long way in encouraging the agricultural scientists to concentrate on evolving new varieties of crops which required less water and could resist the attack of insects.

He said that development and survival of the country was dependent only and only on the development of agriculture. He said that if the agriculture sector was strengthened, the industry of Pakistan would also be automatically strengthened.

Dr Abdul Rasheed made it clear that without attaining autarky in food and other agriculture products, the overall development of the country would remain just a dream. He regretted that in Pakistan, the corridors of power have never given serious thought to the development of agriculture, nor had the agriculture sector received priority in the budget.

He said, pathetic condition of the growers was not hidden from any one and added that not only the growers of Sindh but that of the entire country were faced with similar problems. He said that Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission held predominant importance in the development and promotion of science and technology of which the entire nation was fully aware.

He said our scientists had not only made the country impregnable in defence but they also used nuclear technology in producing electricity as well as agriculture research which was highly commendable, he added.

He said it was a matter of great pleasure for him to see a large number of farmers at the farmers day which demonstrated their confidence in the Nuclear Institute of Agriculture. He was sanguine that the scientists of NIA would continue their efforts in improving the agriculture sector by heeding to the advice and criticism of the farming community.

He reminded the scientists that like other sectors, the problems of agriculture sector also remained changing as did the priorities and exhorted the scientists to explore new avenues of research not only to increase the per acre yield of crops but also to sustain it.

He recalled that there were times when the people were totally unaware of chemical fertiliser but presently four million tons chemical fertilisers were being used in the country whereas one third of this quantity was being imported from abroad at a very high cost.

Same was the case with the use of pesticides, Dr Abdul Rasheed said, and added that presently 75,000 tons of pesticides at a cost of Rs15 billion were being used per annum. He, however, cautioned that these pesticides were injurious to human health.He said, it was indeed a happy augury that the scientists of NIA had not only introduced bio-control technology to combat this menace but also promoted it throughout Sindh. He told the farming community that things were changing very fast in the world and, in order to resolve the problem of petrol shortage, ethanol was taking its place steadily and gradually.

He disclosed that in Brazil, 25 per cent of sugarcane crop was cultivated exclusively for the production of ethanol. He said it could be assumed that in the not too distant future, the farming community of Pakistan would certainly get more price for their sugarcane crop.

He said more sunflower was being cultivated today and advised the farmers to use chemical fertilisers in an optimum and effective manner due to inordinate increase in its price.