AARI Seminar Urges Pulse Intercropping To Reduce Imports And Strengthen Economy

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th May, 2025) The Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad, hosted a high-level agricultural seminar focused on the importance of pulse intercropping in irrigated areas as a means to boost domestic production and reduce Pakistan’s heavy reliance on costly pulse imports.

The event was chaired by Dr Sajid-ur-Rehman, Director General Research, Punjab, and attended by a large number of agricultural scientists from across the country.

According to a press release said here the aim of the seminar was to encourage farmers and agricultural policymakers to integrate pulses into conventional cropping systems to enhance productivity, promote soil health, and conserve foreign exchange currently being spent on pulse imports.

In his keynote address, Dr Sajid-ur-Rehman stated that “Pakistan spends billions of rupees every year to import pulses from Australia, Africa, and other countries. In the prevailing economic crisis, this dependency places a serious burden on the national economy. To save valuable foreign exchange, we must promote pulse cultivation in irrigated areas, especially through intercropping. This is not just an option—it is the need of the hour.”

Sajid further said that AARI scientists have not only introduced improved and climate-resilient varieties of chickpea, lentil, mung bean, and mash but are also working closely with officers of the Agriculture Extension Department to deliver modern production technologies to farmers' doorsteps.

Dr Khalid Hussain, Chief Scientist of the Pulses Section, highlighted that pulses are a key source of over 20 percent protein, rich in iron and dietary fiber, and an economical substitute for meat in low-income diets. He added that pulse crops improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen, making intercropping a sustainable solution for increased land productivity.

The seminar was attended by experts from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), and the Agriculture Extension Department, among other institutions.

Participants were introduced to high-yielding pulse varieties being distributed through the Punjab Seed Corporation to progressive farmers. They were also briefed on best agronomic practices such as timely sowing, seed rates, irrigation scheduling, weed and pest control, and harvesting methods.

Speakers emphasized successful intercropping models including mung bean and cowpea with spring sugarcane, and chickpea and lentil with autumn sugarcane, which enhance land-use efficiency and raise farm incomes.

The government is strongly committed to promoting pulse cultivation in key regions such as Chakwal, Attock, Balochistan, and Sindh, as part of a broader national strategy aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in pulses."

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