A training workshop to educate Thar farmers about biosaline agriculture was organized at the Excellence Centre of Mining, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) here on Friday. The workshop titled ‘Improving Salinity Tolerance of Conventional and Non-conventional Crops Under Extreme Environmental Conditions’ was arranged by the Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization of the University of Karachi in collaboration with Pakistan Science Foundation.
The General Manager of Thar Foundation Farhan Ansari delivered a welcoming speech, said a statement issued here. Farhan Ansari commended KU Professor Dr Bilquees Gul for her work on the biosaline agriculture project with SECMC. Earlier, Professor Dr Gul informed the participants that the objective of this biosaline agriculture training workshop was to empower local farmers with knowledge and skills to help them thrive in the challenging
Thar environment. By adopting biosaline agriculture, farmers can not only enhance their crop yields but also mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change and water scarcity on their livelihoods. During the workshop, Dr Bilquees Gul emphasized the importance of utilizing salt-tolerant crops to maximize agricultural productivity while conserving water.
The farmers were provided hands-on training on soil management, irrigation techniques, and crop selection, enabling them to implement these sustainable practices in their farms.
She expressed her gratitude to SECMC for their support in the biosaline agriculture project and acknowledged the funding provided by the Pakistan Science Foundation. She highlighted the seriousness of the global food security problem, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, where freshwater resources are dwindling and arable land is decreasing. Dr Gul also emphasized the need to address this issue by exploring biosaline agriculture and utilizing degraded lands and saline water resources to produce food, fodder, and edible oil sustainably.
Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of farmers exploring the potential of their unproductive lands for biosaline farming. The workshop featured informative lectures from Assistant Professors Dr Abdul Hameed, Dr Muhammad Zaheer Ahmad, and Research Officer Dr Tabassum Hussain, who covered various aspects of biosaline agriculture to enlighten the local farmers. The workshop was attended by the representatives from SECMC Mohsin Nisar Malik, HSE Manager; Moiz Ahmed, Assistant ManagerRajib Ali, HSE Horticulture Specialist Najeeb Shah, Team Lead Naila, HSE Officer, and the General Manager Umair Aslam Butt. In addition, Harji Lal, CSR Officer, and Ahsan, CSR Officer from Thar Foundation, were also present at the workshop. The workshop took place from July 10-12, 2023, and was attended by a significant turnout of local farmers.
