Varsity to mobilise 30,000 students for wheat campaign

JARANWALA:

The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), in collaboration with the Punjab Agriculture Extension Department, will mobilise around 30,000 students for a 10-day field campaign from October 30 to November 8 to promote timely wheat sowing, efficient use of farm inputs and modern cultivation practices across six divisions of Punjab.

The campaign will cover Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Lahore, Sahiwal and Sargodha divisions.

Students will visit farmers' fields to promote climate-smart agriculture and improved wheat cultivation techniques aimed at boosting productivity and safeguarding food security.

The initiative will also provide students with practical exposure to field-level challenges and strengthen links between agricultural research and farming practices.

UAF Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali said increasing wheat production was essential to ensuring national food security and meeting the country's growing food requirements.

He said direct engagement with farmers would help bridge the gap between research and its practical application by taking scientific knowledge to the grassroots level.

The university was committed to supporting farmers through scientific guidance, sustainable technologies and collaborative initiatives, he added.

He said the partnership with the Punjab Agriculture Extension Department would expand outreach to farming communities and encourage the adoption of modern wheat production techniques.

Dean of Agriculture Prof Dr Ghulam Murtaza said the campaign would familiarise students with practical challenges in wheat cultivation, including seed selection, timely sowing, efficient irrigation, fertiliser management and pest control.