‘Plant Wise Plus Programme’ to improve food security in Pakistan

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Agriculture Department, Punjab and the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) for the "Plant Wise Plus Programme" to improve food security.

Both the sides will work together and digitise the network of plant clinics to establish E-plant clinics which will facilitate farmers in diagnosing crop diseases and achieving national food security.

On this occasion, Secretary Agriculture, Punjab Wasif Khurshid said that since 2012, the Department of Agriculture has been running plant-wise programmes with 700 plant clinics in the province of Punjab but to meet the nutritional needs of the growing population, the dangers of climate change and to prevent the possible spread of pests, harmful insects and diseases effective measures should be taken so as to increase per acre yield. He further said that Pakistan is among the six countries that are ensuring food security through the diagnosis and control of crop diseases under the Plant Wise Plus Programme. Under this programme, plant clinics will be digitised to provide timely awareness of crop pest control and effective strategies for their remediation. Apart from this, small farmers will be provided with solutions to crop related problems. A digital advisory will be issued on their mobile phones. Under this programme, a commercial bio-control laboratory will be established in Muzaffargarh for the large-scale breeding of friendly insects in Punjab which will help in provision of friendly insects to the farmers for the control of crop insects / pests.

On this occasion, Director General Agriculture (Extension), Punjab Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali said that the ongoing plant clinics programme would be made more effective for timely diagnosis of crop diseases. He said that so far, more than 4 lakh farmers across the province have benefited from this facility. Now, under this agreement, the Agriculture Department will ensure timely guidance and effective measures for the control of pests and diseases to the farmers through digitised plant clinics. On this occasion, Senior Regional Director for CABI Asia, Dr Babar Ehsan Bajwa said that the entire system would be digitised through the collaboration of Agriculture Department, Punjab and CABI which will reduce the attack of pests and diseases on crops. He further said that the Center for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) has so far provided practical training to 1,400 workers of the Agriculture (Extension) who are serving at plant clinics.

On this occasion, Country Coordinator Plant Wise Programme for Pakistan Dr Naeem Aslam thanked all the participants and said that this programme would be a game changer that would reduce crop losses and increase farmers' income, thereby enabling food safety and security in the country. Director General Agriculture Pest Warning Rana Faqir Ahmad, Director Agricultural Information, Punjab Muhammad Rafiq Akhtar along with other high officials participated in this signing ceremony.