Pakistan Agricultural Research Council has a key role to play in bringing innovation in agricultural technology.

Islamabad: (PR&P, PARC) Caretaker Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki was called on by Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Chairman of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad. He was briefed about the research and development activities of the council across the country with the particular focus on Balochistan and food & nutritional security in the context of growing population of the county.  Caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan applauded the research endeavors of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and acknowledged the overall performance of the Council in the available resources. He underscored the Council’s significant contribution in shaping the landscape of agricultural economy of the country. He also stressed the importance of implementing measures to improve agricultural productivity, especially for marginalized farmers across the country and specifically in Balochistan. To achieve this, sustainable utilization of natural resources should be ensured by adopting modern agricultural techniques.  Additionally, he stressed that PARC should continue in leading capacity-building programs for individuals engaged in agriculture across various regions of the province, with a focus on modern agricultural techniques.  In this context, he assured the complete and unwavering support and cooperation of the provincial government.

Chairman, PARC in acknowledging the proposals put forth by the Caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan, reiterated the commitment of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, as the apex national agricultural research organization, to disseminate innovative agricultural research findings throughout Balochistan. Dr. Ali further said that the council has played a pioneering role in the introduction and promotion of olive, saffron, pistachio and other high value fruits plants in Balochistan.  In recent years, PARC has planted approximately one million olive trees across eighteen districts of Balochistan and drip irrigation system on two thousand acres.  While discussing the promotion of pulses in Balochistan, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali informed the caretaker Chief minister that our primary focus is on enhancing area under pulses crop in Balochistan to achieve self-sufficiency at national level. He also mentioned that high-quality pulse seeds have been distributed to farmers in 22 districts of Balochistan. Additionally, PARC has launched multiple research programs for cultivation of sesame and psyllium husk (Ispaghol) in various areas of the province.

Caretaker Chief Minister Balochistan, Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki, at the end stressed on the importance of modernizing agriculture in the province and pledged to allocate all available resources for this very purpose.