ISLAMABAD, May 6: The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) has approved a Rs614.10 million project for the restructuring and strengthening of agricultural research system in Balochistan. According to an announcement issued by Minfal here on Friday, the project would be executed by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and Minfal over a period of five years.

The project aims to improve the productivity of agriculture and livestock sector in Balochistan through upgrading its agriculture and livestock research system. Under the project improved technologies will be developed for efficient agriculture, livestock and fisheries production.

This will help in alleviation of poverty among farmers of arid and semi-arid areas of the province, the announcement stated. The project will also improve sustainability of resources by reversing the degradation of fragile ecologies including range lands and forests. Short- and long-term training will be provided to farmers and researchers for improvement in production and productivity.