Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University Organizes 'Kissan Mela' At Koont Farm

Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University (PMAS-AAUR) on Saturday organized a 'Kissan Mela' at its Koont Farm, in Tehsil Gujar Khan with an aim to educate the farmers about changing agricultural practices to reduce expenses, making optimum use of fertilizers, starting side agri-businesses, making farming a profit-oriented venture and strengthen academia-Industry partnership

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Nov, 2021 ) :Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University (PMAS-AAUR) on Saturday organized a 'Kissan Mela' at its Koont Farm, in Tehsil Gujar Khan with an aim to educate the farmers about changing agricultural practices to reduce expenses, making optimum use of fertilizers, starting side agri-businesses, making farming a profit-oriented venture and strengthen academia-Industry partnership.

Vice-Chancellor, PMAS-AAUR, Prof. Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman was chief guest along with MPA, Ch. Sajid Mehmood while faculty members, students and a large number of farmers also attended the 'Kissan Mela'.

Addressing the participants, the VC said that Pakistan was in dire need to take solid steps in agriculture as the world had adopted modern technologies and getting increased crop yield but, the farmers here in Pakistan were still following traditional agricultural methods.

"It is a matter of concern for us that despite being an agricultural country, we are importing several food items from abroad," he said.

He said that Potohar region has been blessed by Almighty Allah with a unique kind of fertile land and with a little attention and innovation in agricultural practices; the region could be made a hub for the fruit production.

Speaking on the strong academia-industry linkages, he said that educational institutions should have strong ties with the industry, so that the research conducted in educational institutions could not only benefit the farmers but, also the consumers.

Appreciating efforts made by the organizer to arrange such a beautiful 'Kissan Mela', Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman said that Arid Agriculture University was the only agricultural university in Pakistan which gives priority to industrial problems and the agricultural experts of the university always tried to deal with the problems being faced by the farmers and provide them timely guidance.

In his address, MPA, Chaudhry Sajid Mehmood said, "Unfortunately, despite being an agricultural country, we are importing essential commodities due to which Pakistan's economy is facing a huge amount of current account deficit." He said, it was the high time for the farmers to leave the traditional methods and move forward to adopt modern agriculture which would not only bring them financial benefits but, also enable the country to stand on its own feet in food security. It would also enable the country to earn valuable foreign exchange from the exports of agricultural commodities, he added.

The event, he said, has created a hope that the future of Pakistan's agriculture sector was bright and Pakistan would soon be included in the list of the developed countries, exporting agricultural commodities to the world.

On the occasion, Prof. Dr. Qamar Zaman also inaugurated the new automatic system worth Rs 10 million installed for estimation of land erosion which was unique and first of its kind. The system would help stop 76% erosion especially in Potohar region. From the data obtained through this system, high definition maps of the affected areas would be prepared which would help the administration to formulate a policy to control erosion of the land.

The farmers participating in 'Kissan Mela' expressed their views and appreciated the efforts of PMAS-AAUR, providing agricultural guidance to them which were helping them in solving the agricultural problems.

In addition to awareness stalls and demonstration of modern agricultural technology, traditional sports like horse riding, javelin throwing and bull racing were also organized for the entertainment purpose of the farmers while the prizes were also distributed among the winners of different competitions.