Agricultural inputs given to farmers

Flood relief agricultural support program assists in rehabilitation and distribution efforts.

PESHAWAR: The Fata Secretariat distributed 400 sets of wheat seeds, inorganic fertilizers and agricultural kits among farmers on Tuesday. At least 400 farmers were provided with 400 bags of wheat seeds, 400 supplies of inorganic fertilizers and 400 items of farming equipment as part of the flood relief agricultural support program.

The program has been organised under the Fata Support Program (FSP). The FSP was initiated by the Fata Secretariat to assist in the implementation of socioeconomic development projects by working closely with the political administrations of the respective tribal agencies and frontier regions. A Fata Secretariat spokesperson said that the program is being rolled out in order to ensure the maintenance and continuity of a normal harvest cycle in the aftermath of the floods that hit the country in July. He said this step was being undertaken under a comprehensive agricultural support initiative across the tribal areas.

Assistant Political Agent (APA) Frontier Region Peshawar, Zaheeruddin Baber, said that the floods had caused destruction on an enormous scale, severely affecting the agricultural infrastructure of the region and there was a danger that locals would not be able to start Rabi farming on time. “This assistance will help ensure there’s a viable crop of Rabi wheat this winter and to prevent future food insecurity”, Zaheer said.

The Fata spokesperson also said that the at least 80 per cent of the population in Fata depended on the agriculture sector for their livelihood either directly or indirectly. As the floods have washed
away, he said, even emergency foods stocks have depleted leaving the region in an economic and food crisis.

The spokesperson said FSP had diverted its resources and services to strengthen the government’s disaster management strategy.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2010.