PESHAWAR: USAID’s Economic Recovery and Development Activity, in collaboration with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agriculture Research Department and local farmers, is pioneering an innovative approach to certified wheat seed production in district Mardan.
The project, titled “Enhancing Wheat Seed Production through Seed Cluster Approach,” promises to bring about transformative changes in the wheat production capabilities in the region.
Pakistan, being the 8th largest wheat producer globally and the third largest in Asia, has a significant stake in agriculture, contributing 7.8% of the value added in the sector and 1.8% of the country’s GDP.
To address the issues faced by wheat farmers in procuring good quality high-yielding wheat seed sustainably, the seed cluster approach has been adopted.
Deputy Chief of the Party for USAID’s Economic Recovery and Development Activity Dr. Shakeel Kakakhel, underlined the activity’s importance, saying in KP, the production of wheat has remained low as compared to other provinces.
Wheat Yield in Punjab, Sindh
The average yield in Punjab and Sindh is 2.9 tons per hectare, while the average yield of wheat in KP is 1.56 tons per hectare. Multiple factors such as water shortages, lack of high-yielding varieties, and uneven pesticide and fertilizer applications cause yield to be relatively lower.
The annual wheat seed requirement of KP is about 30,000 tons, while only 7% (2,100 tons) of certified wheat seed is available to farmers, according to the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department.
The remaining seed comes from informal sources, either farmers’ saved seed or seed procured from fellow farmers, village shops, or middlemen, where information about the source of variety is, in most cases unknown.
Under the cluster approach, 250 farmers in Sawal Dher, district Mardan, will receive basic wheat seed for 250 acres of land, plant stimulant, blended fertilizer, and handholding, a move aimed at strengthening the foundation of the wheat farming community in the region.
This activity will ensure that certified seed is available to local farmers of district Mardan and adjoining districts of KP in the years to come. Using certified wheat seed will guarantee an increase in yield by 15-20 percent, thus minimizing KP dependency on other provinces for major staple crops.
