Intercropping urged for higher agricultural production
A family harvests red chili peppers in Kunri, Pakistan, February 24, 2022. Devastating floods across Pakistan in August and September after several years of high temperatures, have left chilli farmers struggling in a country heavily dependent on agriculture, where officials have estimated $40 billion of flood damages. "When I was a child, the heat was never so intense. We used to have a plentiful crop, now it has become so hot, and the rains are so scarce that our yields have dwindled," farmer Leman Raj, 40, said. REUTERS
Punjab Rice Research and Development Board Chairman Shahzad Ali Malik Sunday stressed the urgent need for switching over to “intercropping” for growing two or multiple crops simultaneously in the same field for bumper agricultural production to achieve food autarky besides boosting the profitability of farmers across the country.
Talking to a delegation of progressive farmers led by Pir Saddam Hussain Shah of Pindi Shaikh Musa district Faisalabad, he said intercropping can significantly enhance overall crop productivity, said a press release. By growing different crops together, farmers can maximise the use of available resources, such as sunlight, water, and nutrients, he added.
He said the complementary nature of different crops helps in better utilisation of the growing space, resulting in higher yields per acre. “Income from intercropping can improve farm profitability and financial stability,” he said.
Intercropping provides a form of insurance against crop failure. If one crop is susceptible to pests, diseases, or adverse weather conditions, the other crops in the mixture can compensate for the losses.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2023.