October 26, 2003	Sunday	Sha’aban 29, 1424

FAISALABAD Oct 25: A comprehensive and integrated strategy by agri scientists and farmers, with full government backing, led to a major breakthrough in the agriculture sector in 1964 in India, said Dr Gurchand Singh former Vice Chancellor, Ludhiana Agriculture University.

He was addressing a dinner hosted by Prof Dr Riaz Hussain Qureshi, VC University of Agriculture Faisalabad in honour of the Indian delegation that visited here to attend the 53rd annual meet of the alumni of the UAF.

Narrating the success story of Indian Green Revolution, Dr Singh said that the first step of consolidation of land was completed during 1951-60, which helped resolve most of land- related litigations. This was followed by installation of tubewells in water deficient areas and provision of roads network to improve communication, he said.

He said agriculture scientists were sent abroad for higher studies in a bid to provide trained manpower in this sector, many of whom returned after completing their PhD in late 1950s.

Bhakhra Dam was also completed by them to irrigate central Punjab, while 200,000 tubewells were sunk in south-west of the Punjab to meet water requirements.

About 18,000 tons of high yielding wheat seed, imported from Mexico, was distributed among 250,000 farmers with necessary sowing instruction, and in the very first year 1.1m acre land was brought under wheat, he said.

Farmers’ Advisory Service was also launched with a network of extension experts to disseminate the new technologies and provide the agri inputs. As many as 15 districts were picked as models for the green revolution, he said, adding that in Ludhiana alone agri production increased four times, prompting storage problem.

He said the government had to close schools a month ahead of the summer vocations to use the schools as storehouses. However, as a long term measure, the government encouraged construction of private storage bins in wheat producing areas, and offered five-years advance rent as incentive.

He said the Indian government announced the minimum purchase price well ahead of the sowing, and also assured lifting of entire stocks with on the spot payment to the growers.

All these measures had enabled India to become a wheat exporting country from a wheat importing country within a few years, he said.

Comparing the Indian agriculture sector with that of Pakistan, he said research and extension under one roof was imperative to get positive results. Moreover, growers must also be involved in problem-oriented research at universities, he added.

He was appreciative of Pakistan’s response to cotton related pests, adding that he would like to send a delegation of Indian entomologists to study the achievements of Pakistani scientists in Integrated Pest Management techniques.

Responding to a question, he said that pest diseases are the same across the borders, but the salinity and water logging problems are comparatively different. In southwest Punjab adequate drainage facilities have been provided which help reclaim 98 per cent of the afflicted land, he asserted.

Prof Dr Riaz Hussain Qureshi, VC UAF, said that agricultural scientists from both sides of the border should pool their knowledge and energies to face future challenges in this field.

The Indian delegation comprised Sardar Gurchand Singh, Dr Raj Kumar Mahi, Dr Santok Singh Sokhi, Dr Heranand Khajuria, Dr Jogindarnath Kool and Dr Hari Singh Barar. Gifts were also presented on behalf of the Academic Staff Association of the UAF.—APP