PARC Organises Awareness Seminar

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Nov, 2022 ) :Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali Tuesday said that the burning of crop residues was increasing environmental pollution, temperature and rainfall.

Every year about 16 million tons of paddy straw is produced in Pakistan, of which about 60 percent is burnt, he said while addressing an awareness seminar organized by PARC to prevent the burning of paddy stubble and to educate and train farmers.

The event was attended by the officials of the Punjab Agriculture Department, agricultural machinery manufacturers, representatives of companies providing machinery services to farmers, and many numbers of farmers participated in the awareness session.

Speaking on the occasion. Dr Ali especially emphasized that under no circumstances should the paddy stubble be set on fire, but instead should come to a mechanical solution.

The government of Pakistan has given subsidies on all the machines for growing paddy and all other crops from which the farmers should take full advantage. In this regard, the Chairman of PARC emphasized the farming community to contact officials of PARC and the Punjab Agriculture Department who will guide them in time.

He further said that burning of crop residues in fields was destroying the health of agricultural lands and burns organic matter, altering soil, nutrients, and damaging living micro-organisms that play an important role in increasing crop production.

Straw was rich in fiber, protein, starch, enzymes, and organic materials that make the soil fertile, he said adding this straw can be used in the paper and cardboard industry.

The chairman further said that the burning of straw creates carbon dioxide, smoke, and other gases in the air which were causing smog and other diseases. Climate change is happening due to these gases, heat waves rise in temperature and heavy rainfall were serious problems related to agriculture, which he said were indirectly affecting Pakistan.

Dr Ali urged the manufacturer of agricultural machinery and service providers to pay special attention to training and awareness of farmers to prevent crop residue burning so that farmers can be saved from heavy fines and penalties.