Cause of concern: ‘Migration to cities causing urbanisation problems’

UAF VC says 70% of country’s population is linked with agriculture

FAISALABAD: Many problems related to urbanisation and food insecurity are the result of people migrating from rural areas to cities, University of Agriculture (UAF) Vice Chancellor Iqrar Ahmad Khan said on Tuesday.

He was speaking to a delegation from the National Institute of Management, Karachi, led by chief instructor Khwaja Shaukat Hussain.

Khan said rural areas should be developed to check migration towards cities. He said Punjab government’s Farm-to-Market Roads Scheme would help farmers bring their produce to the markets conveniently. He said the establishment of a new cattle market in the province was a step forward. He said the promotion of agriculture was necessary to check poverty. Nearly 70 per cent of the country’s population is linked with the sector, he said.

The vice chancellor said irrigation had brought prosperity to Lyallpur which had always been a major market for people from rural areas.

“Nearly a century ago, three principal markets were established at Sargodha (previously known as Shahpur), Faisalabad (Lyallpur) and Sahiwal (Montgomery). More markets should be set up to meet the requirements of the villagers,” Khan said.

Hussain praised the UAF for promoting research. The delegation later visited the Soil Sciences Department and the Institute of Horticulture Sciences.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2015.