Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Mohibullah Khan told APP that the Government has developed an Integrated Agriculture Development Programme (IADP) with a record allocation of Rs 85 billion under which 32,000 watercourses costing Rs 50 billion would be constructed by 2023.
He informed that about 75,000 irrigation watercourses were currently available in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa out of which only 25,000 were constructed during the last 73 years.
The Minister said the department has taken a principled decision to construct the remaining watercourses to control wastage of water besides providing smooth irrigated water to the tail end farmers.
Mohibullah Khan said the government has started work on the mega programme to utilize the water of the Gomal Zam Dam in South Waziristan for irrigation of thousands of acres barren lands in southern districts including Tank, DI Khan, Lakki Marwat and erstwhile Fata.
The minister said the main canal of the Gomal Zam dam has been made operational in which irrigation water was released with the capacity to irrigate one lakh acres land in these areas.
He maintained that work on the dam’s second canal has been accelerated that after completion would irrigate another one lakh acres barren and infertile land in South Waziristan and southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“I have talked to Chief Minister KP, Federal Minister for Water Resources and Wapda authorities with a request for early completion of the second canal keeping in view of its enormous economic and agriculture benefits,” he said, adding they have assured full cooperation in this regard.
The minister said PTI Government has accorded the highest priority to agriculture and livestock sectors by significantly increasing its budget to fulfill the food requirements of the ever-growing population.
He said about Rs 47 billion were spent by 11 Directorate Generals Offices of this department during the last 70 years whereas the PTI Government would spend Rs 85 billion during the next four years, which speaks our strong commitment towards promotion of agriculture, livestock and cooperative sectors for benefits of masses.
He said a multifaceted integrated agriculture programme worth Rs85 billion has been developed aimed at to bolster agricultural productivity, strengthen livestock and food security programmes in the province.
The programme would enhance overall agricultural production of all major crops including wheat, rice, sugarcane, and maize besides tackling problems of malnutrition, desertification, land degradations, drought and climate change on sound footings.
To prevent wastage of water and soil erosion in rainy areas, the minister said, small dams would be constructed in potential areas. He said Rs13 billion would be spent on water conservation programmes during the next four years.
Mohibullah said poultry farming was being strengthened and a principal decision has been taken to distribute “five hens and one rooster” among widows, orphans and poor people to increase their income besides alleviate poverty in rural areas. He said conservation of Azakheli buffalo has been started in Malakand division and their population was increased due to effective conservation and breeding programmes in the province.
It is pertinent to mention here that the population of Azakheli buffalos was significantly decreased in the Malakand division due to 2010 devastating floods and 2009 unrest in the Swat district.
The Minister said the conservation programme of Azakheli buffalo would help enhance milk and meat productions in the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2019.
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