There is need to address water issues to benefit farmers: experts

Say critical emerging issues of water security must be resolved

MULTAN: "Our farming community is facing water related issues and the key solution is to incorporate research in the policy making. The need-of-the-hour is to devise a comprehensive policy to address the water scarcity problem to facilitate the farming community."



This was said by Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan (MNS-UAM) Vice-Chancellor Dr Asif Ali. He was addressing a seminar on water resource management. Agriculture experts were also present on the occasion. The theme of the seminar was to highlight and discuss the critical emerging issues of the water security and their possible solutions.

The vice-chancellor highlighted the importance of water security in the context of the climate change for the farming community. He said, “The university is playing the role of on-ground facilitator between the research and the extension domains of agriculture. The main objective of the university is to address the needs of the farmers in South Punjab.”

While speaking to the participants, Rana Ejaz Ahmad Noon, Member Punjab Assembly, said that the chief minister’s farmer package was designed to facilitate the farmers with the costly equipment like solar energy, drip irrigation and solar tube wells.



For the drip irrigation, the subsidy of 60% will be provided to the farmers, while subsidy will also be given for the solar tube wells. He also highlighted the role of the university in developing awareness in farming community and highlighting important issues.

Malik Muhammad Akram, Director General (On Farm Water Management), gave presentation on issues and challenges of water.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2017.