Recently, Indian scientists of the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, visited Pakistan. During their visit to Lahore, Dr S. S. Dhillon made a presentation on the "Resource conservation technologies for improving/sustaining productivity of agriculture".

He said that the green revolution technology has become costly, especially for small farmers. Similarly, due to increasing population and declining water and land resource, this technology is being replaced by the resource conservation technology in the world, especially in South Asia for sustainability in agricultural production without impairing environments.

The Director General, On Farm Water Management, Department of Agriculture, Lahore, Mushtaq Gill, did a commendable job by collecting data on the comparative crop production and yields of both Punjabs.

It showed that the Indian Punjab comprising 17 districts witnessed a remarkable revolution in the agricultural production, especially in wheat and rice as compared to Pakistan's Punjab with 34 districts.

For instance, during 2000-03, the yield/hectare of wheat of Indian Punjab varied from nearly four to five tons/ha as compared to 2.1 to 3.4 tons/ha of Pakistan's. With the exception of Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan, none of the remaining districts reached three tons/ha.

As a result average wheat yield there was 4.5 tons/ha as compared to 2.7 tons/acre here. Similarly, the yield of other crops over there were higher than those in Pakistan.

The Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana played a key role in providing unprecedented jump in agricultural production. The most significant feature was that it maintained the time-tested unified teaching, research and extension model of the former Agricultural College and Research Institute, Lyallpur (now Faisalabad).

As a result there were strong linkages between the farmers and the university at Ludhiana. Their research programmes were developed by involving the farmers and the university scientists by developing the farmers' problem-oriented research programme. There were least political and bureaucratic interferences in the university's affairs.

The awards, rewards and promotions were mostly made on outstanding achievements of research scientists having significant impact on their agricultural production. Thus, research environments were more congenial in the Indian Punjab.

On the other hand the time-tested unified agricultural education, research and extension system was disintegrated in 1961 in Pakistan under the pressure of the USaid. It resulted in week linkages between these disintegrated departments and the farmers.

Again, according to international consultants of the ARP-11, there was no deficiency of highly competent scientists in Pakistan, but there was too much interference of politicians and bureaucracy in their affairs.

The awards, rewards and promotions were mostly based on personal likes and dislikes of the concerned politicians, bureaucrats and the Heads of Institutes rather than on merit. Thus education, research and extension environment in Pakistan's Punjab is not as congenial.

Nevertheless, the zero tillage and furrow-bed planting are some new resource conservation technologies being followed in rice-wheat belts in several countries.

Dr Dhillon in his presentation showed that at various research centres of the Indian Punjab, wheat sown after rice by zero tillage gave an average yield of 4660kg/ha as compared to 4580kg/ha obtained under conventional methods. Similarly, on farmers fields at over 50 sites, the average wheat yield of two years ending in 2002 was 5000kg/ha under the zero tillage and 4940kg/ha in case of the conventional tillage.

Similarly, Dr Dhillon made presentation of bed plantation of wheat, cotton, maize, soyabean, gram and groundnut. The net result of these studies on farmers fields showed that the bed planted wheat yields was five per cent better over the conventional flat planting, but it saved 25-30 per cent of the irrigation water and 25 per cent of seed cost.

Again, drill placement of second dose of urea on beds produced 8.7 per cent higher yield of wheat over broadcast application on flat planted wheat. Similarly, bed planted maize, soyabean and spring planted groundnut gave 5.7, 15 and 8.4 per cent higher yield, respectively over the conventional flat planting, besides significant saving in irrigation water. This resource conservation technology now, has spread fast in the Indo-Gangetic plain.

In Pakistan 70 per cent of the total rice area was in Punjab, 80 per cent of which was under fine basmati rice varieties that have longer growing period than those of coarse rice varieties mostly grown in the Indian Punjab. These basmati varieties mature late and its thrashing and handling of stubble continued till the end of November to early December.

Time taken for land preparation further delayed sowing of the following wheat crops. Best planting time of wheat in Pakistan's Punjab was from October 25 to November 20. Thereafter, a delay of each successive day resulted in the reduction of yield by 30-35kg/ha per day.

Fortunately, the Director General, On Farm Water Management, in collaboration with the Massey University, New Zealand, and the Agricultural Research Council of Pakistan initiated zero tillage technology in 1996-97, for wheat sowing after rice.

It enabled earlier planting of wheat by 7-10 days, reduced land preparation cost by 100 per cent, saved cost of cultivation by Rs1,358 to Rs2,343 per hectare, saved irrigation water by 20 per cent, reduced cost of diesel by 81 per cent, increased the yield by 15-20 per cent, enhanced the farmers income by Rs2,000 to Rs2,575 per hectare and reduced the wear and tear of farm machinery.