ISLAMABAD: The US Agency for International Development (USAID) on Thursday awarded 42 research grants totalling over $2 million to researchers and scientists to improve the productivity and income of small farmers in livestock, crops, vegetable and other agro-based sectors through the Agricultural Innovative Project (AIP).

Majority of the recipients of the grants belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa followed by Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh.

In KP, grant money will be utilised in the University of Agriculture for research in animal nutrition, weed sciences and horticultural development. Two agricultural research centres in Mansehra, Mountain Agricultural Research Centre in Gilgit, AHRI research station in Swabi, and Bacha Khan University in Charsadda were among the recipients of US grants.

The grants to Balochistan will be used for research by scientists for beef production, fodder, water management, oil seed crops, post-harvest and food technology and farm machinery and implements.

In Punjab, two grants went to Pulse Research Institute in Faisalabad and Jhang; one grant to the Directorate of Rapid Soil Fertility Survey and Soil Testing Institute in Lahore; one grant to the Department of Fibre, Textile, Technology of Faisalabad University of Agriculture; one each grant to Wildlife and Fisheries Department, Directorate of Vegetable Seed Production of Agriculture Research Institute and Arid Zone Research Institute of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council.

In Sindh, six grants were approved, out of which two grants went to University of Agriculture, Tandojam; Agricultural Research Station, Dadu, Quaid-e-Awam Agricultural Research Institute, Larkana, NSTHRI of PARC in Thatta, and the Institute of Plant Introduction of the Sindh Agricultural Research Centre.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2017