LANDI KOTAL: Despite limited official assistance and personal financial constraints, the farmers in the militancy-affected Bara tehsil of Khyber tribal district have managed to revive agricultural activities since their return to the region in 2014.

The local farmers cultivated wheat crop on large swathes of their cultivable lands in most parts of Bara in the current season. It enabled them to acquire a reasonable stock of wheat for their domestic consumption.

During a recent visit to Sipah, Malakdinkhel and Akkakhel areas of Bara, local people, a large number of women among them, were seen harvesting their wheat crop. Some farmers, mostly young were, busy in thrashing the wheat harvest while other were packing chaff in bags for consumption of animals.

Haji Namdar, a farmer from Sipah tribe, told this scribe that reactivating farming, which was their second important source of earning after trading at Bara Market, was a herculean task for them after reconstruction of their damaged homes when they returned to Bara in 2014.

“Most of our houses were flattened to ground while most of our cultivable lands had turned barren while the irrigation system too was badly damaged during the decade-long militancy and subsequent military operations when we came back,” he said while sitting in the corner of a recently harvested field in Speen Qabar Chowk of Sipah area in Bara.

Say they have fertile lands but lack modern facilities

He said that local farmers utilised their own resources to get their lands prepared for cultivation as the government did not provide them with quality seeds and fertilisers for most of their crops.

He, however, acknowledged that some departments provided technical assistance to them in levelling their agricultural lands but the seeds provided to them were substandard and not fit for cultivation.

Farmers in most parts of Bara rely on irrigation water supplied to them from Spera Dam through its canals and other small water channels. Though the irrigation department in the recent past repaired some of these canals but still local farmers complain about limited quantity of water due to damaged and leaked canals and small arteries.

Said Amin, another farmer, said that their lands were very fertile but they lacked modern farming facilities. He said that he got lesser yield than the expected one in the current season as he was not provided with quality seeds and enough fertilisers for his crop.

He said that demand for wheat thrashers was high as only few such machines were available in the entire Bara tehsil. “Most of the farmers cannot afford to arrange thrasher machines on payment due to their weak financial position,” said Mr Amin.

The government had in the past imposed ban on transportation of fertiliser to most parts of tribal region due to its use in improvised explosive devices.

The farmers said that though the restriction was eased but they got urea in very limited quantity that did not cater to their rising demand.

The local administration has nominated dealers for distribution of fertiliser in tribal districts but they are accused of misusing their authority in favour of influential farmers.

Amjadullah, a young farmer, said they could get profitable yields from various crops as most of Bara lands were very fertile.

He said that he would sow corns in his fields once his wheat harvest was completed while he also had plans of cultivation of seasonal vegetables as those would help him earn some extra money.

He said that region also had great potential for fruit orchards of various types if the government paid proper attention to the demands of farmers. “Potato and onion grown in Akkakhel area have great demand not only in Peshawar but also in many cities of Punjab,” he said. He added that Bara fruits could make an impact on the country’s big fruit markets if given proper attention and the local farmers were provided with adequate financial assistance.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2019