FAISALABAD, Nov 13: The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) has constituted teams to supervise performance and guidance of students sent to different parts of the province for farmers’ training in connection with the wheat sowing.

The university has sent 850 male and female students to different areas, preferably to their hometowns, to impart training to growers for achieving the wheat sowing target set by the chief minister.

Vice-Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmed has formed teams headed by dean of the faculty of agriculture Dr Iftikhar Ahmed.

Dr Ahmed will monitor the teams scheduled to visit districts in next few days to evaluate the performance as well as guidance of students in case of any obstacle. The teams have been given two to three districts.

Dr Iqrar said that standard operating procedures had been issued to students who were trained to guide growers when to sow the wheat, what was the best time to fertilize and irrigate fields and how to utilise the machinery and equipment effectively.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had asked the institution to dispatch groups of students to field areas to help the government achieve the wheat production target and rid the nation of food security threats, he said.

Dr Iftikhar said the UAF had sent students of 7th semester to 31 districts and they were attached with the department of agriculture extension.

He said the university move would boost up the farmers who were reluctant to sow wheat because of its high inputs. Students would guide them how to employ new methods and reduce expenses, he said.

Female students, he said, had been sent to different villages of Faisalabad district where they were providing training and guidance to the rural women with contemporary methods of wheat sowing.

Dr Iftikhar said students’ services in the field were part of their internship and marks would be extended accordingly.

He said students would impart training to growers till Nov 30 while the university and the Punjab government were extending maximum facilities to students.

—Staff Correspondent