USAID-ERDA provided certified maize, sunflower, and red bean seeds to 2,800 farmers in District Orakzai on Monday, with the aim of improving food security in the region.
The beneficiaries include 20 percent women and the under-served population. The programme has distributed improved and certified varieties of maize and red bean and hybrid sunflower for Kharif season of 2023.
The program aims to support farmers of Orakzai by providing certified and improved seeds of more productive varieties of maize, sunflower, and red beans.
According to the Crop Statistic Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2020-2021, the total cultivated area of District Orakzai is 17,908 hectares, where only 10 percent is arable and suitable for cultivation. Agriculture is mostly rain-dependent, and some parts of the plains are being irrigated by irrigation channels taken out from the Mastura River and its tributaries.
Mohammad Irfan, Agriculture Officer of Orakzai district, said, “This program is an excellent opportunity for farmers to improve their crop yield and ensure food security in the area. The selected seed varieties are suitable for the local climate and soil, and we hope that farmers will adopt modern farming techniques to increase their productivity.”
Ihsan Ullah from Anjani Lower Orakzai district stated, “This support is critical for us to improve our crop yields and ensure our family’s food security. With these improved seeds, we hope to produce more and sell more at a better price.”—APP
