Training of frontline extension workers

A training of field assistants of Agri. Ext. was held at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad on 17^th December, 2011. Twenty five field assistants from different districts of Punjab participated the training.
Wheat crop planting and adoption of CA technologies came under discussion. Participants individually gave an overview of the situation in their working area. It is interesting to note that farmers are well aware of importance of laser land leveling in most parts of the province and relay wheat planting is spreading in cotton zone. While addressing the participants, Rana Farman Ali explained the role of CA practices to ensure timely planting, reducing cost of production, adding input efficiency and fighting rising heat and drought. LLL, 0-til and bed planting, DSR, relay wheat planting in cotton and ZT cotton planting were discussed in detail with the help of pictorial support. He urged the participants to translate the CA message in the farmer field. Multifunction CSISA planter (ZTBP) was liked by the participants. The participants also expressed their experiences/opinions about the CA technologies.

Rana Farman Ali addressing the participants

Participants of training

Training of graduating female students of UAF

Female students graduating from UAF were trained at CSISA, Pakistan office/ field in conservation agriculture. The total umber of students was 260 and they were trained in groups comprising 40 to 60 students each. The training started from 24^th November and continued until 14^th December, 2011. The trainees came from various backgrounds – agronomy, plant breeding and genetics, entomology, horticulture, plant pathology, soil science, environment and resource economics, biotechnology, animal sciences, home economics, food sciences, extension, forestry, Agri. economics, marketing, DVM and agriculture engineering. Dr. M. Aqil Khan and Rana Farman Ali imparted the training assisted by other CSISA staff. The training included both classroom instructions and field visits. Students were apprised of conservation agriculture, its needs and compulsions. The training covered the background situation created by the changing climatic scenario which is expected to exacerbate further in future. This together with rising food needs due to fast expanding population would seriously effect food situation in the country. The role of conservation in arresting deteriorating effects of climate and promoting cheap, simple and effective agriculture was discussed in length. Individual CA practices were separately explained. Various tools available at CSISA sites were also shown. A leaflet explaining the features and providing links to these tools was also provided to the trainees. Students were impressed and declared these presentations as wonderful, educative and something they were not exposed previously.

Dr. M. Aqil Khan addressing the participants 

Participants

Participants

ZT wheat field visit

Farmer training at Renala Khurd, Okara

A farmer training was held at Renala Khurd, Okara on 3^rd December, 2011. Executive District Officer (Agriculture), Okara chaired the session. One hundred farmers, 30 extensionists including District Officer (Agri. Ext.), Okara, 20 Agri. graduate students and two private sector representatives participated the training. While addressing the participants Dr. M. Aqil Khan emphasized on importance of timely wheat planting to have better yield. He highlighted the changing climatic scenario, increasing population pressure, receding water availability for agriculture and high cost of inputs as compelling factors to move from present day agriculture to CA based options. Cost saving and timely planting aspect of 0 til planting and relay cropping, water and input use efficiency aspect of bed planting and intercropping was elaborated with the aid of flaxy charts. Advantages of DSR in terms of labour and water saving were also explained to the participants. LLL is well adopted by the farmers of the area. ZT cotton planting experiences of CSISA, Pakistan were also shared with the participants.

Participants of training

Dr. M. Aqil Khan addressing the participants

0 til push from unlikely quarter

Naseer is a cop in Punjab Police and does farming on 21 acres in chak No. 172 G/B Shajwal (31.15933N, 73.15823E) about 40 km from Faisalabad. He bought CSISA planter last year but was hesitant to undertake 0 til or bed planting in the face of risk involved in new technology. CSISA, Pakistan staff prompted him and he undertook 4 acres of 0 til planting when neighbors were laughing and ridiculing his undertaking. However the germination was so good, a number of other farmers fell on 0 til and he is still meeting the demands of neighbors. From one farmer of 4 acres zero til has expanded to twelve farmers and 45 acres. In the process Naseer has recovered the cost of his drill doing custom work. In the neighboring village another enterprising farmer Malik M. Wakil (31.14453N, 73.18142E) has even gone further undertaking 72 acres of his personal wheat cultivation with 0 til planter and helping other farmers also.

Naseer in his ZT field