Pakistan
September 14, 2015
On Tuesday, 8th September, 2015; The Annual Wheat Planning and Wheat Productivity Enhancement Programme (WPEP) meeting held at National Agricultural Research Center (NARC). The Wheat Productivity Enhancement Project (WPEP) has primary goal to protect and enhance the productivity of wheat in Pakistan, with particular attention to wheat rusts, which are difficult and expensive to treat with pesticides. The only real way to deal with the disease, according to experts with the USDA, is through the development of new, disease resistant strains of wheat. On the occasion, Country Representative CIMMYT, Dr. Muhammad Imtiaz apprised the participants about the details and informed them that as many as 04 stem rust, 28 yellow rust and 14 leaf rust diseases were identified during this programme. Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said “Research in wheat during the last four decades has enabled Pakistani farmers to boost their per hector yield by over 224 percent ,from 862 kilograms per hector in 1965 to 2,800 kilograms in 2015.” Dr. David Marshall, the Research Leader at the USDA ARS Plant Science Research Unit said that a unique pool of wheat genetic resources has been developed by this project. These genetic resources can be used by Pakistani, and U.S. wheat breeders, to improve disease resistance as well as grain yield and flour quality.”
Islamabad, Pakistan
September 8, 2015
Annual Wheat Planning and Wheat Productivity Enhancement Programme (WPEP) meeting
Research in wheat during the last four decades has enabled Pakistani farmers to increase their per hector yield by over 224 percent, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (NFS&R), Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said.
“The research enabled farmers to increase their yield from 862 kilograms per hector in 1965 to 2,800 kilograms in 2015,” the federal minister said while inaugurating the Annual Wheat Planning and Wheat Productivity Enhancement Programme (WPEP) meeting here at National Agricultural Research Center. The Minister termed this a proud accomplishment saying that this was the legacy of those Pakistani researchers who selected the ‘Mexi-Pak’ which had become the first most widely grown wheat variety of the famous green revolution.
He said that wheat contributes 10 percent to the value-added in agriculture and 2.1 percent to GDP, adding that deployment of high-yielding cultivars and adaptation of improved crop management strategies led towards increased wheat productivity. The federal minister said that Pakistan was not only a major contributor but also a major beneficiary of the new technological advancement focusing on enhancing wheat productivity. He said that “Pakistan Vision 2025” envisages seven pillars and Food Security is one of the important priority areas of action for one of the pillar titled as “Water, Energy and Food Security.” He said the economic growth depends on scientific innovations, knowledge generation and sharing through collaborative efforts involving national and international partners. He acknowledged the continuous by US, international experts, PARC, CIMMYT and other partners that brought a new paradigm of development in Pakistan wheat and Research and Development Activities in the form of Wheat Productivity Enhancement Program (WPEP)
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad said that Pakistan was having much more potential than it produces, however best practices were needed to tap this potential.
He urged the government to improve its policies and make them more farmer-friendly adding currently; the cost of production has gone higher than the prices the farmers get at markets. He also stressed for strengthening the institutions and system for seed development to provide healthy seed to the farmers. The PARC Chairman said that although Pakistan has been successfully combating the rust diseases, however urged for examining wheat seeds in Ethiopia where new generation of the rust diseases has emerged. On the Occasion, David Marshall from USDA/ARS-Plant Science Research Unit briefed the participants about this 5-year wheat productivity programmeand termed it a success as all the goals set have been achieved. He expressed the hope that the three-day meeting would come up with future suggestions and proposals to improve productivity.
Agricultural Councilor, USDA, David Williamswhile speaking on the occasion said that although a lot of success has been achieved in promoting wheat productivity, however lot more needs to be done. He lauded the support of all the organizations that have been involved in this programme. Country Representative CIMMYT, Dr. Muhammad Imtiazalso apprised the participants about the details and informed them that as many as 04 stem rust, 28 yellow rust and 14 leaf rust diseases were identified during this programme. While ICARDA Country Representative Dr. Abdul Majeed in his presentation highlighted the importance of ridge sowing which not only reduces water usage but also enhance production. PARC Member Plant Sciences, Dr. Shahid Masoodsaid that farmers from all over the country have been invited in this annual meeting to make it more productive and result-oriented.
It is pertinent that the meeting, participated by all stakeholders including farmers, would continue till September 10 and devise future strategy for the development of what crop.
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