Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar on Sunday inaugurated the first ever ginger cultivation during the Ginger Harvest Workshop held in Balkasar area of Chakwal.
The harvest celebration was organized by Agrionics Farms. This was the first ginger harvest piloted in Pakistan. The crop was grown in eleven months. Being an essential ingredient of Pakistani cuisine, ginger is high in demand, but unfortunately it is not grown here, and all the crop is imported to meet the domestic needs.
At the event, participants learnt from experts about the sustainable production and management of ginger and how to properly harvest this crop. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sania said, “Ginger can emerge as a major crop and can be a game-changer for the farming community.
Agriculture is profoundly linked to poverty alleviation in Pakistan. Government, private sector, research institutions, innovators and farmers can work together to build synergies and develop agri-value chains. This will lead to greater impact for poverty alleviation, livelihoods creation, economic growth and foreign trade boosting.”
Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Muhammad Najeebullah, Director Vegetable Research Institute, Faisalabad and other experts were also present on the occasion. Participants were provided with information on how to successfully grow and harvest ginger in the country.
Experts presented research-based information about the agricultural benefits of growing ginger locally. After knowledge-sharing, all participants went to the field for the formal inauguration and demonstrations.
Chairman PARC briefed Dr. Sania on the success of the ginger cultivation project and its potential to boost Pakistan’s farming sector. “This variety of ginger has been successfully grown and field tested and can yield up to approximately 8 to 10 tonnes per acre in this area” he said. Other experts shared that Pakistan is an agri economy field to progress as it shall be but now it has started its journey towards self-sustainability. With help of drip irrigation, sprinklers and shading fabric, it is the first ginger farming project that turned out commercially successful.
