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Off-season vegetables and fruit: farmers to be trained in 'tunnel technology'
Pakistan
Saturday 01 September 2007
The Fruits and Vegetable Development Project, a Provincial Agriculture Department project, will start training farmers from next month how to grow off-season vegetables through 'tunnel technology' at the 45 Farmers Field Schools (FFS) set up in different districts.
According to sources, in the three years of this project the department has targeted to educate over 3.300 farmers. The project has been operational in Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Gujaranwala and Sheikhupura districts. And, by the next month, 45 new schools would start. Out of these, six each are in Lahore and Sheikhupura, 12 each in Kasur and Okara, and 9 in Gujaranwala districts, sources said.
About the criteria of selection of the farmers, the department conducted a survey of vegetable growing areas of these five districts, and established a school where farmers showed interest.
On commercial 'tunnel farming', sources said, the Punjab agriculture department has already made the feasibility studies for 5 acres to 15 acres of 'tunnel farming'. Under these feasibility studies the 'tunnel farming' has been differentiated into three categories, according to the height of the tunnel.
Objectives of these Farmers Field Schools is growing off-season vegetables through 'tunnel technology', growing seasonal open field vegetables, conducting agri-echo system analysis for identification of insect, pests, diseases, nutritional deficiencies, soil problems, integrated crop management techniques, capacity building of farmers for making their own decisions according to situation for better crop management.
These schools also minimise the use of pesticides in vegetable production, promoting use of safe pesticides, promoting use of biological control measures, conducting seminars, workshops, farmer days, field visits on vegetable production and marketing.
According to sources, in the three years of this project the department has targeted to educate over 3.300 farmers. The project has been operational in Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Gujaranwala and Sheikhupura districts. And, by the next month, 45 new schools would start. Out of these, six each are in Lahore and Sheikhupura, 12 each in Kasur and Okara, and 9 in Gujaranwala districts, sources said.
About the criteria of selection of the farmers, the department conducted a survey of vegetable growing areas of these five districts, and established a school where farmers showed interest.
On commercial 'tunnel farming', sources said, the Punjab agriculture department has already made the feasibility studies for 5 acres to 15 acres of 'tunnel farming'. Under these feasibility studies the 'tunnel farming' has been differentiated into three categories, according to the height of the tunnel.
Objectives of these Farmers Field Schools is growing off-season vegetables through 'tunnel technology', growing seasonal open field vegetables, conducting agri-echo system analysis for identification of insect, pests, diseases, nutritional deficiencies, soil problems, integrated crop management techniques, capacity building of farmers for making their own decisions according to situation for better crop management.
These schools also minimise the use of pesticides in vegetable production, promoting use of safe pesticides, promoting use of biological control measures, conducting seminars, workshops, farmer days, field visits on vegetable production and marketing.
