Greenhouses allow farmers to grow

Greenhouse farming is becoming popular amongst the farmers in the higher altitudes of Chitral where extreme weather conditions have limited the sowing and growing season to three to four months of the year.

Sardarz Khan, a farmer setting up a greenhouse in Rabat village in Khot valley, tells The Express Tribune that it was a marvelous experience for him to grow vegetables around the year. "This is especially effective during the winter when the temperature drops to freezing point," he says.

He adds that greenhouse farming enhanced his household income as he earns continuously throughout the year by selling fresh vegetables to villagers, apart from saving his own money which he used to spend on purchasing them for the household.

As a retired government official, he used to travel down country to seek employment during the winter season to supplement his income. However, in the last years, he has not needed to travel and can earn a decent living by remaining engrossed in the cultivation of his greenhouse.

He says the greenhouse was built for him by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, under its Central Asian Poverty Programme two years ago. He is thankful that it has significantly changed the economic condition of his life/ "Through traditional farming, I did not earn enough to support the family."

Khan states that after being encouraged by his initial experience, he plans to construct more greenhouses at his farm and expand the base of his agribusiness, using earlier earnings.

He says that inside his greenhouse, he grows seedlings of tomato, onion, and chilly on a commercial scale during the winter season. He sells the produce by the end of March. Before he was able to establish his own greenhouse setup, seedlings were brought from Chitral city at a high cost.

"With time, the number of greenhouses is increasing in areas where single crops are grown due to the intense cold weather. The farmer working on his greenhouse in the Khot Valley of Upper Chitral.

Greenhouse farming is a transformative agricultural practice gaining traction in K-P). It offers numerous advantages, particularly in a region where traditional farming faces challenges due to climate variability, limited arable land, and water scarcity.

One significant advantage of greenhouse farming in K-P is year-round cultivation. The controlled environment within greenhouses allows farmers to grow crops regardless of external weather conditions. This is particularly beneficial in K-P, where harsh winters and unpredictable weather often hinder agricultural productivity.

Another benefit is enhanced crop yields. Greenhouses provide an optimised microenvironment, including regulated temperature, humidity, and protection from pests. This leads to healthier plants and higher production levels compared to open-field farming. For K-P's smallholder farmers, increased yields translate to improved income and food security.