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Agriculture forms the largest sector of national economy of Pakistan. It is strongly linked with food security, poverty alleviation, rural development as a means to achieve bigger goals, for example, employment led economic growth through its linkages and multiplier effects. The agriculture sector, however, faces some crucial and critical challenges. Pakistan population during the last three decades has increased from 65 million to 162 million at present, and is expected to increase to 234 million by 2025 reaching 357 million by 2050. This buildup of massive population momentum will place immense pressure on agriculture resource base calling for substantial increase in food production.

Worldwide arable land is already less than 0.2 ha per capita at present, and is expected to further shrink to 0.15 in 2050. Situation is extremely alarming in Pakistan, where per capita land availability has progressively declined to 0.15 ha at present, shrinking further to 0.06 ha by 2050. Similarly, the per capita water availability has dropped from 5600 cu meters to 1200 cu meters, which could slip further to the water-deficient level below 1000 cu meters per year by 2010 onwards. Therefore, we must possess the potential and the ability to meet growing demands for food. The greatest challenge lying ahead for all of us is to increase food and fiber production while maintaining the ecosystem stability and rehabilitation of the environment. The issues and challenges in this regard are to be overcome in such a manner, so that, everyone can be adequately and nutritiously fed without over-exploiting the natural resources. Hydroponics is one such valuable means of growing fresh vegetables not only in countries having shrinking arable land resources and have large populations.

Hydroponics is a very young science. It has been used on a commercial basis for only 40 years. However, even in this relatively short period of time, it has been adapted to many situations, from outdoor field culture and indoor greenhouse culture to grow fresh vegetables. It is a space age science, but at the same time can be used in developing countries of the Third World to provide intensive food production in a limited area. It�s only restraints are sources of fresh water and nutrients. In areas where fresh water is not available, hydroponics can use seawater through desalination. Therefore, it has potential application in providing food in areas having vast regions of non-arable land, such as deserts and dry coastal belts.

Hydroponics can simply be defined, as the growing of plants in a water and fertilizer solution containing necessary nutrients for plant growth. It can also be defined as soilless agriculture or growing plants in soilless medium. Hydroponics as a word was coined in 1930 by W.E. Gericke of University of California, meaning water and labour in other words i.e. water working or growing plants in a nutrient solution with out soil.

The science of hydroponics leads to prove that soil is not required for plant growth but the elements, minerals and nutrients that soil contains are definitely needed. Soil is simply the holders of the nutrients, a place where the plant roots traditionally live and a base of support for the plant structure. By eliminating the soil, it also eliminates soil borne diseases and weeds and gains precise control over the plant�s nutritional requirements. In a hydroponic solution, one provides the exact nutrients the plants need in precisely the correct ratios so they can develop stress-free, mature faster and, at harvest, are the best in quality possible for costumer and consumers liking.

In 1945 the U.S. Air Force solved its problem of providing its personnel with fresh vegetables by practicing hydroponics on a large scale on the rocky islands normally incapable of producing such crops. With the development of plastics, hydroponics took another large step forward and is now a widely accepted method of producing certain specialty crops such as tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, herbs, foliage plants, and flowers. Most of the tulips and roses exported from Holland are also grown hydroponically. The controlled environment agriculture and hydroponics seems to be the answer to many of the difficulties associated with the production of outdoor specialty crops in the wake of continued soil degradation, loss of fertility, indiscriminate chemical inputs use, and above all continued depletion of water resources.

In traditional agriculture fields or gardens, plant roots are in the soil. They support the plant and search for food and water. In hydroponics, a growing medium in place of soil is used to help support the plant and to absorb the nutrient solution. The roots of a hydroponic plant do not work as hard as those of a plant grown in soil because their needs are readily met by the nutrient solution provided. Ideal mediums are chemically insert, porous, clean and able to drain freely.

Keeping in view, the water stresses being frequently encountered with, the soilless agriculture in Pakistan does not seem to be the wave of the future, it�s going to be here specially for high-value crops such as tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, herbs, strawberries and flowers as they consume 10-30 times less water than field grown produce for the same area and are also devoid of the hazards associated with indiscriminate use of synthetic fertilizer, insecticide and pesticide sprays. Besides, green house hydroponic crops can be grown all the year around irrespective of seasons and make crops freshly available in the local markets and fetch better prices because of being of better appearance as well as quality and also being devoid of chemical influences. They are grown on more than 30,000 acres all over the world whereas U.S. accounts for more than 1000 acres alone. The most popular hydroponic crops in the US and Europe are tomatoes, lettuce and other leaf crops, cucumbers, herbs, peppers and flowers. However, U.S. also receives more hydroponic produce from Holland, Canada and Mexico than is actually grown there.

With hydroponic technology and a controlled environment green house, one gets the latitude and ability to grow premium quality produce using a minimum of space, water and fertilizer. Hydroponics is an intensive form of agriculture that may fulfill the consumer�s demand for premium produce and provide the grower with a profitable business. The commercial hydroponics in Europe and States has dramatically risen through productivity as profitable ventures during past decade so much so, the growers are harvesting 35-40 lbs of tomatoes per plant as compared to 20 lbs few years back, and an intensive volume could be grown in small space i.e. 4-5 thousand pounds of tomatoes every week in an area of 12000 ft².

Since the beginning of hydroponics, many materials have been used as hydroponic growing mediums, some of which include vermiculite, saw dust, sand and peat moss. More recently, rockwool, perlite and expanded clay pebbles are available as excellent choices for hydroponics.

Perlite is derived from volcanic rock which has been heated to extremely high temperatures. It explodes like popcorn, resulting in the porous white medium which can be used in hydroponics. In addition to uses in hydroponics, perlite is also used in many commercial potting soil mixes and in non-horticultural areas including construction and as a packing material.

Perlite can be used loose in pots or bagged in thin plastics sleeves (referred to grow bags) as the plants are grown right in these bags. Plants in perlite grow bags are usually set up on a drip feed system and each standard bag holds 3 or 4 long term plants.

Rockwool is derived from basalt rock. It too is heated to high temperatures and is then spun into fibers resembling insulation. These fibers are further spun into cubes and slabs for hydroponic production. The cubes are commonly used for plant propagation and the slabs are used similarly to the perlite grow bags. A plant is set onto the rockwool slab and grown there. The plant roots grow down into the slab. Rockwool slabs usually hold 3 or 4 large plants.

Many hobby hydroponic gardeners use expanded clay pebbles for their growing medium because they have a neutral pH and excellent capillary action. For commercial ventures, expanded clay pebbles are generally considered too costly.

In commercial hydroponic production, the two primary growing methods are drip (also known as substrate) and NFT (Nutrient Film Technique). There are a number of variations of these methods and also several others including the float system, ebb and flow system, aquaponics, aeroponics and passive hydroponics have also been practical. The biggest difference between the drip and NFT systems is the use of a growing medium. In a drip system, the plant roots are in a growing medium such as perlite or rockwool and the nutrient solution is dripped onto the medium to keep it moist. In an NFT system, the plant roots are in a channel where a thin film of nutrient solution passes, keeping them moist but not water logged.

The drip system is often used in commercial hydroponic facilities that grow long term crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. In this system, the nutrient solution is delivered to the plants through drip emitters on a timed basis. The emitters are usually scheduled to run for approximately 10 minutes of every hour depending on the stage of development of the plant and the amount of available light. The drip cycle flushes the growing medium, providing the plants with fresh nutrients, water and oxygen.

In a commercial drip system, the plant roots are most commonly grown in a medium of perlite or rockwool. The biggest variables in a drip system are in the growing medium and the container that holds that medium. Perlite is often bagged in thin, plastic sleeves. Holes are cut in the bag and plants usually, 3-4, are set in with the roots growing down into the perlite. Recently, a bucket system has been developed to contain perlite for drip systems. Each bucket holds lose perlite and one or two plants. In either of these methods, a slot or hole is cut in the container to allow excess nutrient solution to run out. A drain line below the bag or bucket collects the excess.

Another method of a drip system that is becoming popular for lettuce and herb production is the perlite tray, usually about 24 inches wide and 10-14 feet long. An aluminum tray, coated with a non-toxic material, is filled with perlite and set on a gentle slope of 1-inch to 10 feet. The nutrient solution is continuously dripped in, at the higher end of the tray and allows trickling through the perlite to the other end. Essentially, this system is a combination of drip and NFT techniques.

In most drip systems, injectors are used to add nutrient concentrates to water when the feed cycle starts. In this case, there is no need for a large nutrient reservoir tank or the periodic dumping of used nutrient.

With the NFT technique, the plants are grown in channels (also called gullies) through which the nutrient solution is pumped. The plant roots are kept moist by the thin film of nutrient solution as it passes by. Ideally, the bottom of the roots are exposed to the nutrient solution while the top are kept moist but not waterlogged.

Most NFT channels are fed continuously at a rate of approximately 1 liter per minute. Since the plant roots are not in a growing medium, it is crucial that they are kept moist at all times. In most NFT systems, the nutrient solutions mixed in a primary reservoir, are cycled through the channels and back to the reservoir. With the development of on-demand dosing equipment, a nutrient reservoir can automatically be adjusted, and with proper aeration and pH adjustment can effortlessly be kept fresh for weeks at a time.

NFT is ideal for lettuce, leafy crops and herbs, all of which are short terms crops. Larger NFT channels are used for long term crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers in many locations around the world. One great benefit of NFT, especially for leafy crops, is that the crops are clean and no washing is necessary. Growers, grocers and consumers all appreciate this type of crop even if, to be marketed as such.

NFT channels are usually set up on waist-high stands that slope slightly to allow the nutrient solution to drain to one end. Although round pipes have been used in NFT production, most growers have found flat bottomed channels or gullies provide greater surface area for root development and oxygen uptake, resulting in better and faster plant growth.

Float systems have the advantage of the economy and the surface for the nutrient solution. Most float systems are long, rectangular reservoirs built out of cement or wood and lined with a durable poly liner. Holes are cut in a foam board which floats on the surface of the water and plants in net pots are set in the holes. The plant roots dangle in heavily aerated nutrient solution.

In areas where raw materials are limited and manufactured hydroponic systems are not available, the float system can be an economical means of hydroponic crop production.

The Ebb and Flow (also know as flood and drain) method of hydroponics simply floods a growing area for 5 or 10 minutes and then the nutrient solution drains away. The nutrient solution is stored in a reservoir that can be located under the grow table. Ebb and Flow is common in hobby systems but not often found in commercial production. In an Ebb and Flow system, the plant roots are usually grown in a medium of perlite, rockwool or expanded clay pebbles.

In hydroponics, you mix a specific nutrient formula in solution which is fed to the plants. In aquaponics, you combine aquaculture (fish farming) with hydroponic production. The nutrient-rich waste water from the fish tank is pumped through plant grow beds. Although not as precise as a hydroponic fertilizer mix, the effluent from a fish tank is high in nitrogen and many other elements and most plants do quite well in aquaponics, through this integrated system approach. The key to aquaponics is the establishment of a healthy bacteria population. Beneficial bacteria that naturally occur in the soil, air and water convert ammonia (the primary form of fish waste) to nitrite and then to nitrate, which the plants readily uptake. In consuming the nitrate and other nutrients in an aquaponic system, the plants help to purify the water. Although the combination of hydroponics and aquaculture is quite new, the interest in this technology is booming. Aquaculturists who normally have to buy expensive water purification equipment to purify the water see aquaponics as a great way to clean the water and end up with another, very marketable crop. Hydroponic growers see the value in a natural source of nutrients, already in solution. The water from a fish tank can be pumped through any hydroponic grow bed in place of a hydroponic fertilizer solution. The commercial aquaponic production system is designed to show great promise as it may include the float, NFT and ebb and flow, methods.

Aeroponics is the method of growing where the plant roots are constantly misted with a nutrient solution. Designs include frame with boards on each side, plant plugs set in each side and a mister between the boards spraying the roots. A round, large diameter PVC pipe set vertically with plant plugs all the way around and a mister mounted inside is another way to set up an aeroponic system. Although aeroponics is a unique way of growing, it is not a common means of commercial production.

Passive hydroponic systems are sometimes used by hobbyists. A passive system does not use pumps or timers to flood the root zone. The roots usually dangle into the nutrient solution and draw what they need. A passive system is generally slower growing and not as productive as the other methods discussed, above.

The growing awareness of environment and ecosystem among the people make hydroponics technology most ideal to protect the degradation of natural resources. This technology requires no soil, less water for culture, less area, free of disease and pest and highest food production, it plays vital role in developing areas with water scarcity, small arable land area, environmental concerns in controlling pollution and quality of groundwater and problem of food security. It can effectively be exploited as a tool in backyard farming and house top agriculture practices. In urban atmosphere with limitations of soil accessibility, hydroponics could serve as best means to earn livelihood through continued growth of vegetable and even flowers on a limited scale under given local environment.

The agriculture sector faces some crucial and critical challenges. Pakistan population during the last three decades has increased from 65 million to 161 million at present, and is expected to increase to 234 million by 2025 reaching 357 million by 2050. The situation of per capita availability of land and water in the country is extremely alarming and has further accentuated the problem of agriculture productivity. The per capita land availability has progressively declined to 0.15 ha at present, shrinking further to 0.06 ha by 2050. Similarly, the per capita water availability has dropped from 5600 cu meters to 1200 cu meters, which could slip further to the water-deficient level below 1000 cu meters per year by 2010 onwards. Therefore, we must possess the potential and the ability to meet growing demands for food, for which the planning in the past, had been half hearted, erratic and uncertain. The demands on the use of natural resource base will almost surely increase in ways we cannot even imagine today. In a finite, interdependent, and rapidly changing world, the maintenance of strong food, fiber, and forest production systems and the protection and wise use of our natural resources is the need of the hour. The interdependency of agricultural production practices with conservation of land and water systems has now linked farmers with environmentalists. Food safety concerns and ground water contamination are changing contemporary thinking about food and fiber production with the balance of nature. Genetic engineering, biotechnology, alternative practices, and sustainable rural development are simultaneously linked with global climate change, acid rain, ground water contamination and extinction of species. The projected annual increases in food production in the coming decades to meet our domestic needs are 3-4%. Expanded crop areas or higher production per unit land area per unit time are the only sources for the achievement of 3-4% increase in production. The only way to obtain these increases could be from intensification of landuse for higher yields and increase in the number of crops produced per year. It is thus mandatory for all the stakeholders including policy planners and decision makers not to loose their sight while ensuring food security in the backdrop of expected population growth, from livelihood security and ecological rehabilitation in years to come particularly in Pakistan.

Agriculture forms the largest sector of national economy of Pakistan. It is strongly linked with food security, poverty alleviation, rural development and as a means to achieve bigger goals, for example, employment led economic growth through its linkages and multiplier effects. The agriculture sector, however, faces some crucial and critical challenges. Pakistan population during the last three decades has increased from 65 million to 161 million at present, and is expected to increase to 234 million by 2025 reaching 357 million by 2050 on the basis of UN medium variant projection (assuming to drop from total fertility rate (TFR) of 5 children per woman to 2.1 during the next 25 years). This buildup of massive population momentum will place immense pressure on agriculture resource base calling for substantial increase in food production. There will be no option except to import food, if increases in demographic and socio-economic demands and related constraints are not matched by an adequate increase in productivity through land.

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Worldwide arable land is already less than 0.2 ha per capita at present, and is expected to further shrink to 0.15 in 2050. Situation is extremely alarming in Pakistan, where per capita land availability has progressively declined to 0.15 ha at present, shrinking further to 0.06 ha by 2050. Similarly, the per capita water availability has dropped from 5600 cu meters to 1200 cu meters, which could slip further to the water-deficient level below 1000 cu meters per year by 2010 onwards.

Therefore, we must possess the potential and the ability to meet growing demands for food, for which the planning in the past, had been half hearted, erratic and uncertain. The greatest challenge lying ahead for all of us is to increase food and fiber production while maintaining the ecosystem stability and rehabilitation of the environment. The issues and

challenges in this regard are to be overcome in such a manner, so that, everyone can be adequately and nutritiously fed without over-exploiting the Earth�s resources.

This is more so necessary in the light of Agriculture Scenario in Pakistan in the past half century during which we have only witnessed stagnation instead of expansion and environmental degradation instead of upgradation. This had further been aggravated due to inadequate resource allocation to the sector commensurating to its contribution in G.D.P. (Gross Domestic Products) further jeoperdising R&D efforts in the sector to keep pace with time and the needs which happen to be emergent in nature.

It is projected now, however, that almost all future increases in food production will be through increase in yield (output per unit land area / or animals per unit time) and from growing additional crops during a given year on the same land. There are really, no other viable options. This underscores in a dramatic way, the importance of science and new technologies for meeting future national and global food needs. Environment issues will become more challenging as more land, water, fertilizers and pesticides are diverted to food production to attain higher productivity. New technologies will accentuate for the use of more, not less, inputs and chemicals (fertilizer, pesticides) to increase food production. This is going to happen as population continues to increase and demands continue to inflate.

As a matter of fact, due to shrinkage in arable land and intense cultivation, many societal global problems have emerged relating to agricultural sustainability and food security. These include poverty, malnutrition, inflation, unemployment, loss of soil fertility, soil erosion, deforestation, desertification, firewood shortages, toxic chemicals in our environment, changing climate impacts, and agricultural production stability. These problems strongly suggest for developing world including Pakistan to reassess the human needs and seek technologies that will result in stable production through higher yields. These challenges therefore must be seriously addressed to their accomplishment in a sustainable manner. Sustainable agriculture biodiversity, including that of plants and animals, and natural resources, requires that their ownership and control lie with decentralized agricultural communities to generate livelihoods, provide food and conserve the environment and the ecosystem. These three dimensions i.e., ecological security, livelihood security and food security must be the essential elements of a national agriculture policy and development programs, which must be launched and embarked upon in a focused manner not only to overcome issues mentioned above but also through utilizing the technical expertise to surmount the challenges lying ahead, which are:

The past two decades have seen dramatic advances, in understanding of how, biological organisms function at the molecular level, as well as in our ability to analyse, understand, and manipulate DNA molecules, and the biological material, from which the genes in all organisms are made. The entire process has been accelerated by the Human Genome Project, which has contributed substantially into the development of new technologies, for working with human genes. The same technologies are directly applicable to all other organisms, including plants and animals. Thus, a new scientific discipline of genomics has arisen. This discipline has contributed to powerful new approaches in agriculture and medicine, and has helped to promote the biotechnology industry. Genomics is being followed by the science of proteomics, which is likely to provide exciting insights into the working of the cell. The future increased needs in agriculture productivity could only be envisaged through genetic manipulation in crops, fruits and vegetables.

Knowledge is a continuum. There is much to learn from the past, in terms of the ecological and social sustainability of technologies. At the same time, new developments have opened up new opportunities for developing technologies, which can lead to high productivity, without adverse impact on the natural resources base. Blending traditional and frontier technologies, leads to the birth of ecotechnologies, with combined strength in economics, ecology, equity, employment and energy.

Productivity improvement will be possible only, if, greater attention is paid, to improving the efficiency of input use, particularly nutrients and water. To cite just one example, cotton yields in Pakistan are less than 20 percent of the yields, achieved in several other countries like Egypt and USA. To bridge the gap between actual and potential yields, prevailing at the currently available levels of technology, a multidisciplinary constraint analysis will have to be undertaken in different regions and farming systems. In the short term, the highest priority should go to utilizing the untapped production reservoir, existing at current levels of technology. In the longer term, the prospects for improving yields further without associated ecological harm, will have to be explored.

Sustainable development is the management and conservation of the natural resource base, and the orientation of technological and institutional change in such a manner as to ensure the attainment and continued satisfaction of human needs for present and future generations. Such sustainable development (in the agricultural livestock, fishery and forestry sectors) which concerns land, water, plant and animal genetic resources, is environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable.

Sustainability concerns have occupied a place on the global agenda, with publication of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature�s (IUCN) World Conservation Strategy and the Brundtland Commission�s report �Our Common Future�. Though visions of sustainability vary across regions and circumstances, a broad international consensus has emerged that its goals should be to foster a transition toward development paths to meet human needs while preserving the Earth�s life support systems and alleviating hunger and poverty integrating the three pillars, namely environmental, social and economic sustainability.

Reckless exploitation of natural resources to push up agricultural growth in the past, has put severe pressure on the resource base of several developing countries. Improvement in the household food security may not be possible without ensuring a sustainable agriculture through the blend of conservation of the resource base and induction of new technological breakthroughs by harnessing biotechnological approaches in agriculture.

Science in its diverse forms has much to offer by way of solutions, to finding escape routes from poverty and answer questions of resource sustenance, through sustainable agriculture and technological advancement. Therefore, the need for policy makers to come to grips with these issues, cannot be overstated. Biotechnology has matured to the stage of generating products of commercial significance. The acceptance of these technologies, however, depend upon many factors, which are beyond the realm of science. There is a general agreement that biotechnology offers many advantages both through productivity increase as well as, through improvement in the quality of agricultural products. Serious reservations, however, persist about health and environmental implications of large-scale application of biotechnology. It is important that these concerns are adequately addressed to.

Despite the fact that population pressure will demand increased supply of food, agriculture and biotechnology research offers the best solution. For developing the technologies it is essential to harvest advantages of genetic engineering, stem cell propagation and tissue culture etc. However, it is yet to be certain if the products of its application will find consumer acceptability. Therefore, there is need for discussions and demystifying the technology. A decision relating to the acceptance of technology should be based on the balance sheet of risks versus benefits. However, the risks if associated, including the perceived ones, need to be evaluated in the aftermath of overall national needs and interests.

Another important concern relates to the ecology and environment. Increasing emphasis on environmental protection, as a policy objective, has a bearing on the structure of agricultural production. So, the agriculture development plans, need to be synchronized to the agro-ecological systems, in different regions of country, keeping in view, the peculiarities of situations. But, it is also a fact and be kept in mind that the modern technologies will continue to affect agriculture-environment interface. The future development strategies must therefore, simultaneously address the economic objectives, the social concerns and ecological restraints warranting a partnership approach amongst various stakeholders i.e. farmers, economists, scientists and government in the sphere of technical change. The precision technology has potential to make a major contribution to agricultural production without influencing the environment negatively.

Liberalized agriculture trade is the issue of potential concern, that agriculture sector is faced with these days. Along with the technical breakthroughs, agriculture has witnessed significant institutional changes. The most important among these is the liberalized agricultural trade regime characterized by the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) under the World Trade Organization. The Agreement on Agriculture is seen by many to enhance welfare gains of the partner countries. There are skeptics, however, who not only question the volume of gains but also raise serious concerns on the distribution of gains from the perspective of the developing countries. One may objectively argue that the implications of AoA have not been fully comprehended by the developing countries in their rush to sign the agreement. An important question is whether a rushed agricultural trade liberalization will really help the developing countries? Any developing economy can go down the hill from a fairly reasonable state of growth situation to a situation of ever rising imports of foodgrain. This, in turn, would also have a significant dampening effect on agriculture productivity, employment and social stability.

It is now widely accepted that poverty is currently the principal root cause of food insecurity at the level of households. Food security at the level of each individual is hence, important. UNDP�s Human Development Report for the year 2000, titled �Human Rights and Human Development� chronicles the different kinds of inequities prevalent in contemporary societies. The report points out that �poverty limits human freedoms and deprives a person of dignity�. The Vienna Declaration, adopted at the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, also affirms that �extreme poverty and social exclusion constitute a violation of human dignity�. The report stresses that expanding human capabilities and securing human rights can empower poor people to escape poverty. It is clear that the poor in this country are poor only, because, they have no access to the resources. Hence, the basic approach to poverty eradication has to be asset building and human development.

Food Security is another issue that we are confronted within the perspective of the population growth trends in Pakistan. Therefore, adequate food availability is fundamental to human health needs. The demand for plant and animal food is determined by multiple factors. Amongst them are, the population size, rate of change in per capita income, process of urbanization, changes in dietary patterns and changes in income generation.

Since land and water will be shrinking resources for agriculture, there is no option in the future except to produce more food and other agricultural commodities from less per capita arable land and irrigation water. In other words, the need for more food has to be met, through higher yields per units of land, water, energy and time. It would therefore be useful to examine, how science can be mobilized for raising further, the ceiling to biological productivity without associated ecological harm.

Keeping in view the exponential increase in human population and their food needs in the coming years, it is to be decided what kind of planning is needed to be done? It will surely be within the framework of human needs, that agriculture and animal production systems will perform, over the coming decades.

When we talk about our agricultural resource base, we are talking about severe and growing problems. Our annual top soil loss is increasing and water may soon outrank land as a major constraint to Pakistan food production. The finiteness of our land and water resources; the impact of overuse and erosion of our lands, the increasing pressures of our people for more mouths to be fed, but also in their growing demands for the use of land and water resources will affect our agricultural production capacity.

The projected annual increases in food production in the coming decades to meet our domestic needs are 3-4%. Expanded crop areas or higher production per unit land area per unit time are the only sources for the achievement of 3-4% increase in production. The only way to obtain these increases could be from intensification of landuse for higher yields and increase in the number of crops produced per year. To do this, one must consider the resource inputs (land, water, energy, fertilizer, pesticides, human labour, machinery), their costs, availability and renewability.

Global warming is defined as �the increase in average temperatures on the earth caused by the greenhouse effect, through gas emissions due to extensive use of fossil fuels as a principal contributor to pollution leading to change in climate�.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has predicted that humanity�s emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases will raise global average temperature by 1.4-5.8^oC (2.5-10.4^oF) by the end of the century which will affect weather patterns, water resources, the cycling of seasons, ecosystems and extreme climate events.

Temperatures in the Himalayan region have increased by more than 1^oC recently and are set to rise by a further 1.2^oC by 2050, and by 3^oC by the end of the century. This heating has already caused 24 of Bhutan�s glacial lakes to reach �potentially dangerous� status. The conditions are not different in Nepal. Similar is the situation in northern mountains of our beloved country in Himalayan, Hindu-kush and Karakorum ranges.

Future disasters around the Himalayas will include �floods, droughts, land erosion, loss of biodiversity and changes in rainfall and the monsoon�. The roof of the world is changing, as can be seen by Nepal�s Khumbu glacier. Which has retreated three miles since 1953. Almost 95 percent of Himalayan glaciers are also shrinking---and that kind of ice loss has profound implications not just for Nepal and Bhutan, but for surrounding nations, including China, India, and Pakistan. Eventually, the Himalayan glaciers will shrink so much that their melt waters will dry up. At the same time, rivers fed by these melted glaciers---such as the Indus, Yellow and Mekong---will turn to trickles. Drinking and irrigation water will disappear. Hundreds of millions of people will be affected. There is a short-term danger of flooding too much water as coming out of the Himalayas and a greater long-term danger of their not being enough in years to come, leading to loss of agriculture, productivity, starvation and increased poverty etc. It is therefore, mandatory for all in the region to plan for future and embark upon execution of options available to us.

Another problem that is of specific concern to the agriculture and human health pertains to environmental degradation through global warming, unabated waste and industrial effluents particularly in rivers, canals and wetlands, which may be lead to environmental disaster in years to come, particularly in developing countries. Wetlands have been defined as �areas of marsh, fen, wetlands or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary with water static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt-laden including areas of marine water, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters�.

Wetlands in Sindh are undergoing a process of decline and degradation primarily due to population pressure, industrial/ domestic pollution, pesticides runoff and lack of awareness about the wetlands. A major threat to wetlands has been ignorance of the ecological services provided by them. Due to wetland�s importance on productive ecosystem, serious steps need to be taken with special emphasis to the potential of their conservation, productivity, and the extent of degradation. There is need to address the factors for conservation vis-�-vis degradation of wetlands with respect to the biodiversity, water quality, and aquatic ecosystem.

The agro-industrial toxic waste and the so called anthropogenic effluent drained through the freshwater canals discharge into wetlands has severely damaged the food chain. The toxic waste is hazardous not only to the wild birds, but, to the whole biodiversity of wetlands, which include fish, turtles, and other aquatic life. The fish from these heavily polluted wetlands is netted in large quantities and sold in the markets without testing and residue analysis of bio-accumulated pollutants present inside cells and tissues of fish exposing the consumers to health hazards. Similar conditions prevail for domestic livestock (grazing and drinking polluted water) and the fishing communities inhabiting the area (consuming unhygienic water, fish, birds and aquatic plant foods).

Degradation of environment will also result due to use of new technologies which will call for increased use of chemicals (fertilizer, pesticides) to increase food production. Toxic chemicals in the environment (many of them pesticides and fertilizers) have been declared environmental threats and hazards to human health and well-being. Debates will continue on issues of food safety, deleterious effects on fish and wildlife, endangered species and caracinogenicity. It has not yet been clarified by anyone, as to what an environmentally sustainable set of agricultural production technologies might be?

In the light of given perspective, it is anticipated that demands on the use of natural resource base will almost surely increase in ways we cannot even imagine today. In a finite, interdependent, and rapidly changing world, the maintenance of strong food, fiber, and forest production systems and the protection and wise use of our natural resources is on the anvil. The interdependency of agricultural production practices with conservation of land and water systems has now linked farmers with environmentalists. Food safety concerns and ground water contamination are changing contemporary thinking about food and fiber production with the balance of nature. Genetic engineering, biotechnology, alternative practices, and sustainable rural development are simultaneously linked with global climate change, acid rain, ground water contamination and extinction of species.

Fisheries are destined to play an important role in human nutrition but it is becoming a luxury food in some of the countries. Utilization of grain and animal protein as feed for aquaculture may not be economical as it might reduce the food availability for human consumption. The world�s energy and food crises are redirecting the attention to an intelligent and wiser use of all resources and integrated fish farming offers a solution to the problem.

Integrated Fish Farming may be defined as the association of two or more normally separate farming systems which become part of the whole farming system. The major features of this system include recycling of waste or by-product in which the waste of one system becomes the input of other system, and efficient utilization of farm space for multiple production.

Integrated livestock-fish, poultry-fish, and rice-fish farming and crop rotation in fish ponds have been well developed and practiced in countries like China, Hungary, Germany and Malaysia. The freshwater aquaculture in Pakistan and more so in Sindh, has been largely organic-based. The inputs for it derived are from activities of agriculture and animal husbandry with plants and animal residues forming the major component of feeds and fertilizers in crop polyculture. Small - scale farmers in this part of the world, have sustained themselves by practicing different kinds of crop diversification for centuries. About 70% of Pakistan�s population live in rural areas at subsistence or near subsistence level. The rural folk in the region are greatly under-nourished and need not only a large supplement of animal protein in their diet but also new sources of gainful employment. Pakistan being an agrarian economy, produces large quantities of plant and animal residues. It is known that the country supports the large bovine population of over 59.3 million cattle heads along with 79.4 million sheep and goats 357.8 million poultry and other livestock. Activities like goat production and rabbitry, poultry, etc. apart from providing for diversification of farming systems, also provide huge quantities of organic material, that may become resources in the aquaculture system. The agro-based industries like distilleries and food processing plants also produce the different kind of waste that could be recycled to aquaculture apart from the well known resource-the domestic sewage.

Ecosystem of Integrated Fish Farming is characterized by Trapping of solar energy and production of organic matter by primary producers, Utilization of primary producers by phagotrophs or tertiary consumers, Decomposition of primary producers and phagotrophs by saprotrophs or osmotrophs, Release of nutrients for producers. Apart from above, the food chain within the ecosystem also thrives and subsists on animal waste which gets access through feed, autotrophic production and heterotrophic production i.e. certain bottom feeders like Cyprinus carpio and Cirrhinus mrigala directly utilize the organic particles from feed which are generally coated with bacteria along with other material, where as some of the decomposed protein of waste products provides nutrients for the micro-flora (autotrophs), while non-mineralised protein provides food base for bacteria and protozoa (heterotrophs). Temperature, light, micro and macroflora, inorganic nutrients, carbon, phosphorous and nitrogen are the basic inputs required for photosynthesis process. However, the micro fauna (zooplankton) feed on small manure particles coated with bacteria. In the process, bacteria are digested while rest is excreted. In this heterotrophic production system micro fauna (protozoans and zooplanktons) are produced finally shortening food chain. This system of production is not linked with the process of photosynthesis.

Integrated fish farming system utilize the waste of live stock, poultry and agriculture by-products for fish production. About 40-50 kg of organic manure can produce 1 kg of fish. Fish farms having an integration with mulberry cultivation, sericulture and silk extraction from cocoons allow the pupae to be utilized as fish feed and the worm faeces and wastewater from the processing factory to be used as pond fertilizers. Pond silt can be used as fertilizer for fodder crops which in turn can be used to raise live-stock and poultry or as fish feed. Thus a recycling of waste is done in integrated fish farming system.

The scope of integration in a fish farm in considerably wide. Ducks and geese may be raised on the pond. The pond dykes may be used for fruit plants and mulberry cultivation or for raising goats, cattle, and dyke slopes for fodder production. From integrated fish farming systems not only fish but meat, milk eggs, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms etc. can be obtained. This system fully utilizes the water body, the water surface, the land, and the pond silt to increase food production for human consumption. The integrated fish farming system holds great promise and potential for augmenting production, improvement in rural economy, generation of employment leading to poverty alleviation.

Integrated Aquaculture System is not merely a fish culture but it is essentially a blend of variety of fishes with crops, horticulture, livestock, poultry, birds etc. The system may have an integration such as rice and fish, fish and prawn, horticulture and fish, duck and fish, fish and livestock, rabbit and fish, goat and fish, poultry and fish and so on so forth. The features of such integration may however vary and the output is always associated its management and utilization of inputs and resources.

Rice is the dominant cereal crop in Asia. It is the staple food of over 1.6 billion people in the world, mostly in Asia where 90% of all rice is grown and eaten. For most rural farmers, this single crop is virtually their sole livelihood. The practice of collecting wild, naturally occurring fish for food rice field is probably as old as rice cultivation itself.

The reason for decline in rice-fish culture has been the introduction of various insecticides, which are harmful to fish. Rice-fish culture plays an important role in rural economy of Asian countries. This is because fish culture lends itself well to small labour intensive farming operations. It can be used in conjunction with rice cultivation to increase productivity. Rice fields from the natural habitat for a larger variety of indigenous species of fish which gain entry only from the nearby perennial water bodies. The fishes feed and grow on natural food available and the farmers usually collect the fish during rice growing season and / or when the water level subsides.

Scientific rice-fish systems can ensure higher productivity, farm income and employment in these areas.

Catla, rohu, mrigal and common carp in combination with freshwater giant prawn are stocked in equal proportions @ 10,000 individual / ha. These are fed with rice bran and mustard groundnut oil cake @ 2-3% of the total body weight. Manuring schedule includes application of cow manure at 10 t/ha/yr, while liming is done @ 200 to 500 kg/ha. These are harvested periodically along with receding water levels.

After the harvest of rice certain crops which require lesser amount of water like water melon, groundnut, vegetables, cow pea, etc. can be grown. Top of the bund which is 10% of the pond area is utilized for growing vegetables and fruit bearing plants.

Rice-fish system results in 168% intensity of cropping in field and 400% on bunds as compared to 52% in the case of traditional monocropping of rice. Rice-fish system provides a net annual income of around Rs. 30,000/ha in the first year which accounts for about twelve folds income over farmer�s traditional practices and three folds over the improved monocropped rice.

This system encourages synergism between rice and fish leading to increase in grain yield by 5-15% and straw yield by 5-9%. It facilities crop diversification, there by reducing investment risk. It promotes gainful linkage between rice, fish, prawn, vegetables, fruit crops and other resulting in better resource utilization as well as conservation of the ecosystem. It generates year-round employment in the farm.

Ponds are well situated for growing horticultural plants. The top, inner and outer dykes of ponds as well as adjoining areas can be best utilized for horticulture crops. These crops are fertilized by the pond silt and fertile pond water is used for watering. The success of the system depends on the selection of plants, which should be Dwarf variety, Less shady, Evergreen, Seasonal, and Highly remunerative.

Dwarf variety of fruit bearing plants like mango, banana, papaya, lime can be grown around the pond. This will not obstruct the sunlight to the water bodies and also the pond will be free of dry leaves. Ginger, turmeric, chilly can be grown as intercrops. Ponds dykes are used for growing vegetables solo as well as intercrops. During summer season, brinjal, tomato, chilli, gourds, cucumber, melons, ladies finger is cultivated while during winter peas, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, beet, radish, turnip, spinach, etc, is raised. Pond slit and pond water is used for providing nutrient for these crops.

Flower bearing plants like tuberose, rose, jasmine, gladiolus, marigold, cassandea, chrysanthemum are grown on the pond dykes. These flowers have tremendous market potential in the cities which provides additional employment to the farmers.

Farming practices are carried out on broad dykes which can stand ploughing and irrigation. Ideal management involves utilization of the middle portion of the dyke covering about 2/3 of the total area for intensive vegetable cultivation and the rest on the area along the length of the periphery through papaya cultivation keeping sufficient space on either side or netting operation. Semi intensive farming is done where the dykes are not good. Crops of longer duration like beans, ridgegourd okra, papaya, tomato, brinjal, mustard and chilli are suitable for such dykes. Narrow dykes are suitable for cultivating sponage gourd, bottle gourd citrus and papaya. Where the dykes are shaded ginger ad turmeric can be cultivated.

Large quantities of leaves of cauliflower, cabbage, turnip and radish are available at the farm site. These are fed to the fishes as feed. Grass carp is one of the ideal fish for this purpose. A monoculture of grass carp with a stocking density of 1000/ha will give a production to the tune of 2000 kg/ha/yr. During summer, amaranth and waterbind weeds through cutting are fed to the grass carp. If possible, common carp can also be added Grass carp is a voracious feeder. Only part of the intake food is digested, while the rest released as faecal matter which serves as a good feed for the common carp. This results in additional production without involving any cost towards carp feed. In mixed culture of grass carp along with rohu, catla, mrigal in the ratio of 50:15:20:15 at a density of 5000 fish per hectare results in yield of 3000 kg/ha/yr.

Duck-fish integration is the most common integration, mainly practised in China, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Russia and upto some extent in India. It utilizes the mutually beneficial biological relationship between fish and duck. Asia is considered to the holy land of the domesticated ducks, but the best breeds and strains currently available have been developed for their excellent egg / meat production in Europe and America through systematic breeding, feeding, management and disease control.

In the West and other affluent countries, duck meat is a delicacy, and ducks are mainly reared for table purposes. In some countries, duck eggs are not popular because of the fear of possible Salmonella infection. Duck eggs are an important source of food. These are very cheap to produce and can play an important role in balancing the diet of the people.

Fish farming using manure has long been practiced all over the world. Integrating fish and livestock farming reduces the necessity to purchase fertilizers and fish feed, and increases the income generated by the fish farm.

Animal sheds can be built close to the fish ponds to simplify the handling of the manure. The faeces and urine may be collected separately. If the floor is higher than the pond dyke, a manuring ditch can be dug to collect the faeces and urine together and the mixture can be flushed directly into the fish ponds. This method saves time and labour. The area of the fish pond to be matched with the number of livestock and waste food; the species ratio and target output of fish etc. The frequency of manuring depends on the conversion of the manure, which changes seasonally, and the fluctuation of food organisms in the fish ponds. Cow faeces and urine are beneficial to filtering and omnivorous fishes. Therefore, silver carp and catla are usually the major species with assorted omnivorous fish (common carp) and herbivorous fish (15-20 percent). The optimal output of herbivorous in fish-cow integration should be around 12 percent of the total output of the pond. With more herbivores, supplement feeds must be applied.

Rabbit can play an important role as a non-conventional meat animal for hilly, tropical rain forests, roughage, legumes and horticulturally rich areas. Until recently, rabbit was considered, as a pet animal by the common citizens. For the professionals, it was an experimental animal. But currently rabbit has emerged as an alternate meat source for the future. Rabbit meat has been regarded as a dieticians choice for the health-conscious meat consumers. Rabbit meat is low in fat content in comparison to chicken, mutton and beef. Among the food animals, rabbits has the highest reproduction rate and can attain the growth rate comparable to modern broiler chicken. Rabbit fur skin which is an important bi-product supplements the farmers� income.

Goat farming is an age-old practice but its integration with fish culture has not been explored. Goats not only provide meat and milk but also a good amount of manure. Annual production of manure from a goat is around 1.5-2 tonnes per year. If animal manure is not properly used, it causes pollution of water and environment. It has been observed that 40-50 kg of animal manure produce 1 kg of fish. Animal manure and green fodder can totally replace the commercial feed for fish farming achieving a similar fish production. The goat is a versatile animal. It is known as the poor man�s cow. Goats can be kept with little expense on undulating lands with an inexpensive shelter.

A simple and economically viable system of fish-cum-poultry farming has been developed. Under the system, the poultry droppings of fully built up poultry litter is recycled in the polyculture fish ponds which results in production of 4,500-5000 kg fish. Broiler production give good and immediate returns to the farmers.

The most important factor a farmer should consider before taking up broiler production is to investigate the market conditions, where the product will be sold. There should be steady demand for his chickens, so that all the stock could be disposed of immediately when they are ready for market. Success in broiler production depends mainly on the efficiency of the farmer, his experience, aptitude and ability in the management of the flock.

The waste animals feeds and animal excreta is utilized to increase the biological productivity of water. Probably supplemental feed and fertilizers may not be needed in such a system and the cost on inputs, therefore, may be reduced.

The ponds are prepared and stocked in the same way as in duck-fish farming. The built up poultry litter removed from the poultry sheds is suitable place and is applied to the pond in daily doses @ 40 - 50 kg per hectare per day every morning after sunrise. The application of litter is deferred on the days when algal bloom appears in the pond.

It has been estimated that one tonne of deep litter fertilizer is produced by 25-30 birds in a years time. As such 500-600 birds are adequate to produce manuring for a hectare of water area under polyfish culture.

Development and pollution are two interrelated processes that have been causing great concern to the planners. With increasing population in the country, the quantities of wastewaters generated have been increasing beyond treatment capacities, apart from a host of industrial effluents in the recent years and solid wastes. Several processes of treatment include the conventional activated sludge and trickling filter methods, oxidation/waste stabilization ponds, aerated lagoons and variations of anaerobic treatment systems, the latest one being the Up flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) process.

It is increasingly being recognized that sewage is just not a pollutant but also a nutrient resource, as evidenced by about 90 t of nitrogen, 32 t of phosphorous and 55 t of potassium valued at Rs 61 million that could be recovered from the country�s domestic sewage daily. Traditional practices of recycling sewage through agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture, they being basically biological processes, have been in vogue in several countries. The sewage-fed fish culture of Munich in Germany and Bheries in Calcutta are world-famous. Emphasis on these practices has been on the recovery of nutrients from the wastewaters. Taking culture from these practices and deriving from the new databases in different disciplines of wastewater management, aquaculture is being proposed and standardized as a tool for treatment of domestic sewage.

Several variations of models of aquaculture for treatment of domestic sewage have been proposed. Employment the biotic components in an aquatic ecosystem that include bacteria, algae, duckweeds, macrophytes and fish/shellfish, the principles of all the models has primarily been dilution, oxidation, reduction of BOD, COD and the suspended solids along with nutrient recovery in terms of biomass. Several food chains operate in these systems, rendering the influent, nutrient-deficient and less harmful to the environments to which they are discharged.

Fish ponds serve as facultative ponds for sewage treatment, also providing oxygen output

form to photosynthesising algae and macrophytes. The macrophytes also serve as nutrient

pumps, reducing the eutrophication effects that the sewage is likely to cause in the natural

waters. It has been demonstrated that the ponding reduces the bacterial loads by 2-3 long

units and bacteiophage loads by 3-4 long unit seen at sewage loading of 100 kg COD/ha/day. With no evidence of build-up on the concentration of excreted micro-organisms in pond water with either an increase in organic loading or time, it has been shown that the faecal coliform concentrations reduced by 4 log units within 24 hours of retention in the ponds.

Studies have also shown that about 1 MLD of domestic sewage could be treated over an area of one hectare through water hyacinth reducing the BOD and COD by 89 and 71% respectively, along with removal of nitrogen and phosphorous to extents of 89 and 50%. Aquaculture being a product-oriented practice, public health concerns are being raised with regard to sustainability of consumption of fish/shellfish from such systems. These pertain to the microbial load of the produce, possibilities of harbouring human pathogens, accumulation of pesticides residues, heavy metals etc. Accordingly, the sewage-fed aquaculture models are being modified with incorporation of plant cultivation prior to application of wastewaters in his fish pond, also followed by necessary deprivation measures.

The new aquaculture model for treatment of domestic sewage integrates the culture of algae, duckweeds and fish/shellfish. The aquaculture system network comprises 18 duckweed ponds (25 m x 8 m x 0.5 m) and two fish culture ponds (50 m x 20 m x 2 m). In addition, two marketing reservoirs (40 m x 20 m x 2 m) are also provided for the depuration and marketing of fish/shellfish produce. The treatment strategy consists of allowing a retention time of two days in duckweed ponds and a further retention time of three days in fish ponds at the second stage of treatment. With a total retention time of 5 days n the integrated culture system, a reduction in BOD levels of the influent to the extent of 60-80% has been observed during different methods.

The system employs the aquaculture components of the highly-priced, proteinaceous blue-green alga, Spirulina Sp; duckweed, viz, Lemna, Wolffia, Sprirodela and Azolla; carp species of catla (Catlacatla), rohu (Labeo rohita), Mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala), silver carp (Hypophathalmichthys molotrix) and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and (M. malcolmsonii). The yield rates of different components are 2-3 g/m2/day for Spirulina sp., 75-100 g/m2/day in case of duckweed and 3-4 t of fish/ha/yr.

It is noteworthy that this model of treatment of domestic sewage serves the dual purpose of sewage treatment rendering the effluent fit for disposal into river systems as per the prescribed standards and recovery of nutrients into the protein-rich fish flesh. Requiring about one hectare land area for the network of duckweed ponds, fish ponds and marketing reservoir along with the bunds and road for treating 1 MLD of sewage, the process does not have power requirements as in cases of other treatment methods. While the alga, Spirulina, and fish/shellfish have ready market for human consumption, the duckweeds produced could be processed as cattle/fish feed as also biofertilisers in agriculture and aquaculture. The model thus envisages a wholesome, integrated, eco-friendly practice for treatment of wastewaters that could be adopted elsewhere in the country, ideally suited for towns with about a hundred thousands human population.

Most of the current integrated farms in south east Asia are operated in the traditional way without proper planning, modern technology or modern farm management techniques and rely on personal experience. Marketing is therefore a recurrent problem except in years where demand is sufficient. Fish disease constitute a further major problem with the farmers cannot solve by themselves since they have inadequate experience and knowledge, and such knowledge is not as readily accessible as with other farm animals where feed manufacturers or veterinary supply companies offer services to assist farmers in many cases. A further problem for farmers is the shortage of credit and working capital, which forces them to contact their produce sales to middlemen, usually at unfavorable prices.

Fish is relatively cheap and higher in protein content than other animal protein sources. Increase of food supply to cope with the high rate of population increase requires much more than an increase in agricultural land. Land is a limited resource and if more land is used in agriculture, the forestry will soon be reduced to a degree which will be harmful to the environment. Also, the cost of production could rise. Therefore, a method is needed to produce more food from existing agricultural land, and integrated farming offers a possible solution. Integrated farming will probably play a very important role in natural development, as well as in the national economy.

Although integrated farming has now been proved to be highly profitable, its practice remains very limited in scale. This is because the relevant scientific and technological information on diversification of methods is unavailable to farmers. To remedy this, there

must be a bridge between the information sources and the farmers, perhaps through extension services. A multidisciplinary approach is needed, including technological, economic, social and political aspects which are interrelated. Any approach must, however, be relevant to national economics, social and environmental conditions and to the farmers need.

Agriculture has always played a vital role in socio-economic development of the society/people. It is the primary source of employment, livelihood, and food security for the majority of population. The Pakistan population is to reach 220 million by 2020. Therefore, we must have the potential and the ability to meet growing demands for food, for ever-increasing human population, for which the planning in the past had been erratic and uncertain. The issues and challenges in this regard are to be overcome in a manner, so that, everyone can be adequately and nutritiously fed, without over-exploiting and over consuming the natural resources thereby affecting the earth�s ecosystem. The greatest challenge lying ahead for all of us is to increase food production while maintaining the ecosystem stability, and rehabilitating the environment.

Pakistan�s economy has undergone considerable diversification over the years, yet the agriculture is still the largest sector. According to Economic Survey Report 2004-05 agriculture accounts for nearly 25 percent of Pakistan�s national income (GDP) and employs 47 percent of its workforce. Agriculture also supplies raw material to Pakistan�s Industries, notably textile industry, the largest industrial sub-sector of the economy. Most importantly, 67.5 percent of country�s population living in rural areas are directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Given its importance to national economy, the Government attaches high priority to raising agricultural productivity with a view to promoting faster agricultural growth and hence, raising farmers income. Pakistan witnessed unprecedented drought during the first two years of the decade of 2000 (2000-01 and 2001-02) which resulted in contraction of agricultural value added. In other words, agriculture registered negative growth in these two years. The next two years (2002-03 and 2003-04) witnessed a modest recovery in agricultural growth at the back of improvement in the availability of water for irrigation purpose. A stranger � than � expected performance of agriculture has been one of the hallmarks of the fiscal year (FY) 2004-05 with growth reaching as high as 7.5 percent on account of unprecedented increase in cotton production (14.6 million bales) and a near bumper wheat crop (of the size of 21.1 million tons). Major crops, accounting for 37.1 percent of agricultural value added registered stellar growth of 17.3 percent as against 1.8 percent last year. Minor crops, contributing 12.2 percent to overall agriculture grew by 3.1 percent as against 2.6 percent last year. The performance of livestock � the single largest contributor to overall agriculture (46.8%); fisheries and forest � the two minor contributors, have been lackluster at best as they grew by 2.3 percent, 2.1 percent and 0.4 percent respectively.

This is more so necessary in the light of uncertain Agricultural Scenario of past 58 years on which we have only witnessed stagnation instead of expansion and environmental degradation instead of upgradation. This has further been aggravated due to inadequate resource allocation to the sector commensurating with its contribution in G.D.P., which has further jeoperdised R&D efforts in the sector to keep pace with time and the needs which happen to be dynamic in nature.

The agriculture of Pakistan in general and Sindh in particular is exposed to a number of problems ranging from national at grassroots to international levels, from poor yields to marketability of commodities, water shortages to conservation, from grading to set world quality norms, and from indiscriminate use of pesticides to biological control. The yield of major crops like cereal production has decreased due to variety of reasons. The most significant appear to be ecological changes and timely availability of the inputs including water, unhealthy and non-resistant germplasm etc. The World Trade Organization (WTO) regime has become another most critical challenge for Pakistan and other developing countries. Its implications on agriculture, undoubtedly, surpass all other threats confronted by other sectors of economy.

For food security of exploding population of Pakistan, it is direly needed to formulate new long term policies horizontally and vertically and embark upon the new projects in agriculture to cater to the needs of the rising population in the next 25-50 years. It has to increase cereal production by at least 40% over the next 25 years to meet needs for food, livestock feed, and fiber crops. Similarly, production of all other major food products shall have to be increased to keep pace with population growth and subsequent demand. The challenges to be faced with the also include per capita agricultural land which continues to shrink along with depletion of the increased resources, coupled with, increased problems of salinity and deforestation. Above all, the water scarcity will become more acute over the years due to global warming and loss of glaciers. Some of the current problems encountered in the agriculture productivity are non-availability of high yielding and disease, insect and pest free elite stock for seedling/seed.

Due to intensive cultivation and over exploitation, there has been a continuous decline in per cpita availability of land resources in the country. As a result of unabated population growth in the country coupled with dwindling water resources, it is projected now, that almost all future increases in food production need to be attained vertically, i.e. as a result of increase in yield (output per unit land area/animal per unit time) and from growing additional crops during a given year on the same land. There are really, no other viable options. This underscores the need and the importance of science and new technologies, for meeting future national and global food needs. Environment issues will become more challenging as more land, water, fertilizers and pesticides are diverted for food production to attain higher productivity. New technologies will accentuate for the use of more, not less, inputs and chemicals (fertilizer, pesticides) to increase food production. This is going to happen as population continues to increase and demands continue to inflate.

Degradation of environment, arising from agricultural production, is present, in many forms. Agricultural production is chief user of our land and water resources. Debates will continue on issues of food safety, deleterious effects on fish and wildlife, endangered species and carcinogenicity arising out of agriculture inputs leading to environmental degradation and pollution. It has not yet been clarified by anyone, as to what an extent, should the environmentally sustainable set of agricultural production technologies be? The economics as well as the technology of development are changing so rapidly that older assumptions are of no consequence and valid any more.

The concept of sustainability of production systems is increasingly becoming a requirement for maintaining the basis of human life. The sustainable management of natural resources both in industry and in agriculture involves a strategy which, while taking into account the interests of the present, preserves the preconditions for future generations to have all the necessary conditions available to them for satisfying their needs. The key concept consists in fostering the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment. Applying this principle contributes to long-term economic growth under conditions which are acceptable for production which is environmentally sound and economically beneficial for the maintenance and management of resource base.

The system of sustainable management plays a crucial role in agriculture, since numerous complex factors form the basis of production in this field. The key elements of sustainability in agriculture are:

As a matter of fact, many societal global problems have emerged, relating to agricultural sustainability and food security. These include poverty, malnutrition, inflation, unemployment, soil erosion, deforestation, desertification, firewood shortages, and toxic chemicals in our environment, changing climate impacts, and agricultural production stability. These problems strongly suggest that developing world and us, to reassess our needs and seek technologies that will result in stable production at higher levels. We must address ourselves seriously to their accomplishment in a sustainable manner. Sustainable agriculture is based on the sustainable use of natural heritage including land, water and agricultural biodiversity, (plants and animals). Sustainable use of these resources, in turn, requires that their ownership and control lie with decentralized agricultural communities in order to generate livelihoods, provide food and harness conservation strategies. These three elements i.e. ecological stability, livelihood opportunity and food security must be the essential ingredients of our agriculture policies, and programs as they are both equitable and sustainable.

The Sindh Agriculture University therefore, has an obligation to provide leadership for the changes which have been outlined above through its research, teaching and extension programs. The faculty and the staff of the University with their indomitable will and commitment have the potential to come to the national and global aspirations. It is expected from the students of Agriculture Sciences that they must not only be knowledgeable about their profession but develop critical thinking skills in a broad ecological, social, and economic perspective. The students of tomorrow must also be able to understand the interrelationship of their activity to an interdependent environmental world shared by food producers and consumers alike.

The Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam is identified amongst the most reputable institutions in the country at the moment and with continuous and sincere efforts of the management and leadership that we have, we hope to emerge as the leadership institution of the future. In this regard the strategic vision document developed for the university highlights following focused areas of research and activity and establishment of infrastructure to accomplish the challenges lying ahead.

Seed Production Technology and their promotion and propagation including oilseeds and development of Hybrid seeds, Arid and Bio-saline Agriculture, Conservation of Crop and Livestock Germplasm, Agriculture Production Potential in Coastal Areas, Integrated Pest Management, Prevention of deforestation and desertification and exploitation of rangelands, Aquaculture and Integrated Farming System, Poultry/Livestock Farming and least cost formulation of rations, Hydroponics/Tunnel farming, Utilization of Agro-Industrial by-products, Exploitation of Non-conventional feeds for livestock production, Crop and Animal Health System, Embryo transfer technology, Rural Development / Poverty Alleviation through increasing capacity building/increased household income of farmers, Conservation and efficient utilization of water resources, Exploitation of renewable energy resources, Infrastructure development (Housing and Shelter Engineering), Agro-chemical testing and evaluation facility, Tissue culture facilities, Post-harvest technologies and its transfer to stakeholders, Development of Fruit and Vegetable Processing Technology, Soil Conservation, Rehabilitation and Environmental Studies, Agriculture Advisory Services Cell, Student Counseling and Placement Services, Quality Assurance & Learning Innovations and Evaluation Facilities, WTO Implementation and Agriculture Trade and Services facilities, Bio Informatics and Management Sciences

Development of Infrastructure and Transformation in the existing milieu in the University

Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and seed production Centre, Institute of Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Development of Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre, Institute of Plant Diseases and Control, Institute of Integrated Pest Management, Agro-Chemical Testing and Evaluation Facility, Bio-Saline Agriculture and Livestock Research Center, (Thar & Kohistan), Integrated Aquaculture Farming Centre, Establishment of Department of Veterinary Continuum Education, Centre for Soil Conservation and Environmental Sciences, Embryo Transfer Centre, Water Resources Management Institute, Institute of Bio-informatics and Management Sciences (IBMS), Centre for Sustainable Development Studies, WTO Implementation and Agriculture Trade and Services Cell, Quality Assurance & Learning Innovations and Evaluation Facilities at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Farmers Advisory Services and Agricultural Technology Transfer Facility, English Language Development Center, Student Counseling and Placement Centre, Farmer�s Radio Station and dissemination of Agriculture and Weather related information

Looking to the issues and problems as elaborated earlier, as also the needed thrust on making agricultural education socially relevant, demand driven and job-oriented, enabling the graduates not only to seek public and private sector jobs but also to divert them towards their own self-employment in different agricultural and allied vocations. Agricultural education plans of this university as a part of Human Resources Development Programme lay emphasis on:

It has been anticipated that the �World� will be a different place in the year 2020. Many of the trends which have begun to emerge will continue to be evident, but other changes may be more difficult to project. Demands on the use of natural resource base will almost surely increase in ways we cannot even imagine today. In a finite, interdependent, and rapidly changing world, the maintenance of strong food, fiber, and forest production systems and the protection and wise use of our natural resources have become an imperative. Our national agriculture is now integrated with world markets. The interdependency of agricultural production practices with conservation of land and water systems has now linked farmers with environmentalists. Food safety concerns and ground water contamination are changing contemporary thinking about food and fiber production with the balance of nature and sustainable rationale. Genetic engineering, biotechnology, alternative agricultural practices, and sustainable rural development are simultaneously linked with global climate change, acid rain, ground water contamination and extinction of species.

The breakthrough innovations in digital revolution are the main challenges for higher education institutions in Pakistan. The rise of internationalization, globalization of trade and economies, knowledge and culture and the concept of life long learning give a distinctive character to higher education at national and international level. Internationalization has put university education in the forefront of the world educational map. Thus our universities and institutions will be required to revamp their programs to meet the international standards and produce market-oriented graduates equipped with knowledge to face rapidly changing and challenging environment. The University�s challenge is to develop academic programs with high impact and focus on the quality research to address the national issues by exploiting the potential of our future land banks to ensure food security and to alleviate poverty in the country.

Looking into the above scenario, the main goal of Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam will be to overcome the problems through creating conducive academic and research environment at Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam to produce well equipped manpower in agriculture and allied sciences and to meet the international standards of education and research aimed at to bring a quantum jump in yields and production and to alleviate poverty particularly in rural Pakistan.

Historians have established that Thar Desert was all under the Arabian Sea which receded and the dry land with sand dunes soon became inhabitat of various forms of flora and fauna. Gradually, various tribes of people from Sindh and Rajasthan settled in the desert. Thar desert came under the administrative control of various Rajput dynasties. In 1882, it gained the status of a district with Umerkot as its headquarters. It was shifted from Umerkot to Mirpurkhas in 1960. In December 1990, District Tharparkar was bifurcated into two Districts Mirpurkhas and Tharparkar with its headquarters at Mithi.

Thar, the cradle of a great and flourishing civilization, has languished in deprivation, vicissitudes of time, a highly exploitative use of resources and persistent neglect in development. The potentials of the desert for development are very great. As it has land, climate and rain-fall. It holds considerable reserves of minerals, forest wealth, range lands, livestock, people, and highly disciplined and hardworking labor force.

Undoubtedly culture and geographic divisions influence human life to a great extent, human behavior is limited by these social handicaps. Physical and environmental conditions influence social and economic life of people every where. Every man whether he belongs to a primitive and simple society or the advanced and the complex, has to adopt to prevailing conditions and surroundings. He has to live for necessities of life on physical surroundings. Thus, differences in personality and culture become an improvised phenomenon, and geographic boundaries control his destiny.

Thar is comparatively less populated because of poor economic conditions and water scarcity. It comprises 5.72 million acres of land and accommodates about 1.0 million people in 3600 permanent villages. The population in desert constitutes 3.72 percent of the total population of Sindh. The desert sustains a ruminant population of 4.0 million to graze. A sound land livestock relationship demands that the land should provide sufficient tree shades and fodder and forage to meet the requirements of livestock. Moreover, due to non systematic grazing pattern adopted by graziers, the livestock disappears in no time. Also wind and water erosion of sandy soils is very common that need soils conservation practices.

Thar desert is comparatively less populated because of poor economic conditions and water scarcity. It comprises 5.72 million acres of land and accommodates about 1.0 million people in its 3600 permanent villages. The population in desert constitutes 3.72 percent of the total population. Social stratification is common and active. Social values of the area are remarkable and majority of people possess ascribed status. They love and live for their environment and neighborhood. In Thar mostly joint family system is practiced; the people are hardy and simple while women faithfully participate in economic activities and work from dawn to dusk. The area and population of Tharparkar District are shown as follows:

Taluka	Land Area (Acres)	Per Capita Land (Acres)	Population
Mithi	999,555	4.18	239,261
Diplo	966,434	6.01	160,846
Nagar Parkar	10,035,457	6.79	152,486
Chachro	1,789,579	5.05	354,127
	13,791,025		906,720

The Thar desert starts from the south-eastern border of irrigated zone of Sindh Province. It lies between 24⁰-26 and 25⁰-22 north latitude and 69⁰-40 and 71⁰-11 east longitude. The area is bounded by Jesalmir and Marwar Districts of India in the east, Runn of Kutchh in the south and the north-west and the rest adjoins the irrigated tract of Sindh. It has two subdivisions; Mithi and Chhachhro and consists of four talukas; Mithi, Diplo, Nagarparkar, and Chhachhro. It is further divided into smaller units of 169 Dehs, 913 Makans, and more than 3600 villages. The devolution plan carriers 44 Union Councils.

Thar is deeply furrowed in almost parallel sand dunes of 50 to 450 feet high in east-west direction with tortuously meandering geologic formations at dune heads and warping to cut up the soil leaving many intricate patterns of gullies here and there, thus rarely form a long flat plain. Between sand dunes are valleys with depressions and oppressions representing ridge and rough topography. The sediment is mainly sandy transformed into huge dunes, consisting of grayish sand derived from quartz, feldspar and horn blend. The top soil is comparatively blackish brown due to the presence of humus, and in intermitant valleys. Favorable climatic conditions encourage natural vegetation which stabilize the sand dunes. Adjacent to the dunes are sandy and loamy soils with uneven topography. Areas further away from the sand hills and lower parts of the slopes comprise deep clay soils and are almost flat. Thar is unique desert in the world that becomes lush-green after rainfall. A range of Karunjhar mountains (1169 feet above sea level) and detached rocky hills are found in Nagarparkar taluka at the north-eastern edge of the Runn of Kutchh, which represent an old system of the peninsular sub-continent of indeterminate age. These hills store in their cavities a large amount of rain water which gives rise to a permanent stream in the shape of big gully (Nain) that flows towards east of Nagarparkar town.

The sturdier population of Thar continued to live in the desert and maintained its supremacy by hard work. There the archaeological remains go back to ancient history. A number of Jain temples, about 2000 years old are found particularly in the rockey hills of Nagarparkar and other parts of the desert which reveal that the area was well populated during the old civilization.

The climate of the tract is well suited to the production of crops, varieties of grasses and forests. Low amount of precipitation is a limiting factor. The region experiences great extremes of both daily and seasonal cold winters and hot summers. Like other sub-tropical deserts, extreme climate provides healthy population to Thar people. The harshness of summer becomes conspicuous with western winds eroding soils at the wind speed of 20-25 miles per hour, shifting rolling sand and convective phenomenon charring the atmosphere with dust. The highest temperature at time may rise to 115^oF. The winters are comparatively of shorter duration. Cold waves from the north last for about three months with of about 40 days from 20^th December to the end of January. Winter temperature never touches freezing point and seldom rises 70^oF, and it is absolutely rainless. The rains in the area are characterized by monotonic showers, which are mostly exiguous, uncertain and unevenly distributed in the season. Exceptionally good rainy years exalt economic activities of the area. The dunes and valleys retain moisture after sufficient precipitation to keep perennials alive, agricultural crops, not with standing.

The geophysics of Sindh is characterized by different ecological zones, apart from the administrative set-up. The arid area has a vast domain with distinctive eco-system endowed with varying water table depths, plantation, dune characteristics, rainfall, temperature, vegetation and the type of soil etc. The ecological zones are; Kha�ur, Kantho, Samroti, Vango, Vat, Muhrano, and Dhat. The zone khaur is roughly spread over 400-500 sq. km north-east of Chhachhro. Deep-water aquifers are available below 120 feet. As a result of small sand dunes, the flow of runoff water does not make gullies to reach the plain minimizing the opportunity for natural methods of collecting the surface water in ponds at large scale.

�Kantho� covers about 250-300 sq. km area ranging from Hirar union council in the south of Chachro to Pillo, Tigusar, Chotal, and Mamchero union councils in the north of Nagarparkar taluka. This zone is blessed with comparatively favorable physical conditions of fair precipitation, fertile soil, and seasonal vegetation. The aquifer is found at 20-50 feet depth.

�Parkar� is distinguished from rest of the Thar by the presence of Karunjher mountain and rocky plains. The monsoon precipitation runoff concentrates in channels and some recharge of aquifer occurs from stream flows. The low depth (30-50 ft) dug wells recharge through such streams, provide water for drinking purposes, and in some instances also irrigate the seasonal vegetation and back-yard gardening.

�Dhat,� the central part of Thar that coves a portion of Chhachhro and northern areas of Mithi taluka (water depth 125-150ft.) The surface runoff depends on intensity and duration of rainfall, but Tarais (ponds)in low lying strips provide drinking water after rainfalls.

�Vat� is a short belt extending from southern parts of Diplo and Mithi to the marshes of Kutchh. Better runoff and greater permeability provide a natural substitute of drinking water by recharging the thin fresh water layers at an average depth of 30-50 ft. The surface water percolation associated with clay soil permits the cultivation of summer crops during a good monsoon of 3-4 rainfalls from June-August.

�Samroti� is a small zone with fertile soil and shallow wells, extending from south-west of Mithi to northern Diplo. The availability of water and fodder provides better opportunity to inhabitants having large flocks of goats and sheep. In the north of Samroti less precipitation and recharge, results in seasonal dearth of fodder. This small portion is termed as �Vango�.

�Muhrano�, in ancient times touched the shores of Mehran the mighty Indus when it passed across the eastern part of Sindh. It is north of Mithi, which extend to irrigated plains of Indus valley.

With dry land and sand dunes Thar is one of the most backward areas of Pakistan. On account of abject poverty and harsh conditions coupled with disparities in living standards between the rich and the poor, most unfortunate inhabitants take out a living through subsistence farming or by raising livestock. The hapless Tharies experience frequent droughts and face food deficits, income reduction, water scarcity, and migration problems. To address the common cry of the deprived people inhabiting the less favored region should be that they and their children given humanitarian rights and opportunities to have access to amenities of civilized life.

Thar faces deficiency in food supplies. Due to limitations of land resources in irrigated plains, the people are stressed on yield production and intensive cultivation, but it also requires land exploitation and water resources of desert (rainfed Barani areas) of Pakistan, of which Thar offers a great expansion potential of supplementing 0.5 million acres of land for cultivation. Of the total land area of 4.791, 0.376 million acres is cultivated the remaining 2.717 million acres is grazing land, the rest 1.698 million acres is beyond the reach of cultivation or pastures. Agriculture entirely depends on rainfall. However, in southern parts of Thar surrounding Karunjhar hills of Nagarparkar, small scale cultivation is carried out on dug wells where cash crops castor, chillies, onion, garlic, and brinjal are grown. It is a general practice that the farmers grow 3 to 4 crops as mixed crops. Main crops of Thar are Bajra and Guwar. In good rainy years, lentils, cucurbits and sesame are also grown as mixed crops with Bajra and Guwar.

Vegetation of the area consists mostly of stunted bushes and desert trees. The main natural ground cover is provided by grasses which are nutritious and palatable fodder for livestock. We, therefore, can not afford to ignore our rainfed areas. Thus we should have a comprehensive plan to develop of its livestock resources, agro-forestry based problems of soil productivity, deteriorated rangelands and the whole ecosystem.

It is strange to note that no Thari knows about government activities and policies on agriculture. Poor quality seed is used and plant protection measures have not been introduced. Agriculture demands increase in yields by introduction of high yielding varieties, fertilizers, pesticides, erosion control, and moisture conservation practices. The traditional farming should no longer be encouraged. A fundamental re-orientation of land use practice and cropping pattern should to be achieved to harmonize with natural environment of the desert. Such adjustments must base on scientific arid zone studies and the appropriate technologies of the present nature.

Animal agriculture is the mainstay of Thar economy. The livestock is the symbol of food security as well as source of subsistence. The investment in this sector will ultimately help improve the nutrition of the poor people of Thar, and generate employment opportunities, increasing household income. The development programme will ensure prosperity of the people in the fragile ecosystems of the desert. With dedicated efforts of scientists and experts in related disciplines, Thar would be scientifically best understood and extremely well documented for its treasures. In order to achieve sustainability in the arid agriculture, advisory and research services are to be strengthened with a high profile and updated knowledge and other skills. The farmers of Thar need to be motivated in replacing traditional cropping system and conservation of natural resources.

Thar desert remains covered with natural vegetation from July to October in rainy years. The common trees and shrubs of the area include Acacia nilotica, Euphorbia caducifolia, Acacia Senegal, panicum antidotale, Cammiphora mukul, Leptodenia spartium, Crotalaria burphia, Grewia populifolia, Calligonum polygonoides, Accacia jaequemonti, Gymnosporia royaliana, Citrullus colocynthis, Cyprus araucarias and Indigoera. These are classified into trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. Tecoma undulatd is a good quality timber plant exhibiting a beautiful show of pink flowers in dense crowns, but it is at the verge of extinction. Capparis decidua, a deciduous, much branched thorny shrub is another red brown flower plant with long-beaked edible fruit of medicinal properties and serves as fire wood. Other popular trees locally known as Kandi, Chilkatrio and Khabar are of economic means which provide animal feed and human subsistence, and wood for household use and timber. Among the shrubs, there are Khip , Akk, Thuhar Bavari, Guglan, Morari , Phog , Ber , and Tankaro. The shrub Khip provides glabrous long twigs used as fiber for ropes and shanty roofs. Akk and Thuhar are goat browses as well as medicinal plants, Bavari, Morari, Phog and Tankaro serve as goat and camel feeds in addition to wood plant where Guglan provides gum-like substance. Whereas, Murt , Gambol, Gandheer, and other annuals and perennials are common cattle feeds provide cattle grazing.

Trees	Shrubs	Grasses
Kandi (Prosopis cineraria)	Phog (Calligonum polygonoides)	Dhaman (Cenchrus ciliaris)
Devi (Prosopis juliflora)	Boriri (Z. ummularia)	Bhurt (Cenchrus biflorus)
Jar (Salvadora oleides)	Morari	Sain (Elinorus hirsutus)
Ber (Zizyphus mauritania)	Bavri (Acacia Jacquemonti)	Vaker (Indigofera cordifolia)
Kumbhat (Acacia senegal)	Kirir ( Capparis deciduas)	Tirkandi
Neem (Azadirachta indica)	Booh	Veesoni

Deforestation has aggravated the problems of range lands and forests besides overgrazing and cultivation of sloppy and marginal lands, leaving soil bare and exposed to wind and water erosion, as such eco-systems. About 56 percent of the area was under forests and pastures in Thar, but nothing seems to have been done to preserve the national wealth on scientific lines. Further that about 2.052 million acres of land were transferred to forest department under the soil conservation scheme and was claimed to have put 3000 acres under forestation. But one wonders as to what is tangible. Without taking care of forest wealth, regeneration of forest through scanty resource base is incapable of keeping pace with destruction through uncontrolled grazing and wood cutting. Pasture and forest resources could well be enriched by aerial seeding of the region adding local and adoptive plants which would not only serve forestry but also check wind erosion.

The Desert offers excellent opportunities for raising livestock. Major uncultivable and village adjoining areas (Gauchar) come under natural pastures that grow on rains. Under thick growth of grass, the green and dry fodders last for on entire year. After agriculture, the livestock is a criterion of ascribing social status. Thar maintains about 15 per cent of livestock. It includes big herds of cows, camels, donkeys and buffalos, and flocks of goat and sheep. The livestock fluctuates within the desert depending on rains. They migrate to irrigated areas of Sindh in less precipitated years. There would hardly be a family without livestock in the area and the statistics are:

Animal	Pakistan	Sindh	Thar
Cattle	23.3	6.99	0 .63
Buffalo	24.8	8.36	0.05
Sheep	24.6	4.76	1.2
Goats	52.8	12.55	2.5
Camels	0.8	-	0.1
Equines	4.6	-	0.2

The huge range lands are the natural locale for raising livestock and are a major source of the supply of draught animals and foods of animal origin. Best bullocks are produced in the Desert which still need genetic quality. Livestock wealth of Thar needs to be safeguarded and developed on scientific lines to make it really a productive heritage. Measures to improve pastures, establishing veterinary and animal husbandry marketing and breeding centers are of immediate interest and which could be quite sustainable if planned and organized in appropriate manner.

Tharparkar district is officially reported to be 22,000 sq. km (4.79 million acres) of land, of which 4.73 million acres form the Thar desert. Annual population growth rate of the area is 3.13% while the literacy rate is 18.32%. In Mithi Taluka, however, the literacy rate is reported about 30 percent.

The district has a highly heterogeneous population, the density of which is about 45.6 per sq km where average household size is 5.6. The main occupation of the people is farming and livestock rearing, from which about 60% of livelihood is derived. There are about 4 million cattle and livestock comprising buffaloes, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, and horses. Due to lack of rainfall (in winters) farmers are able to harnest one crop during good years of precipitation.

It is, pertinent to know and assess the chief characteristics of Thar desert elaborating its physical, social and economic handicaps which have a direct bearing on the society as a whole, and on individual inhabitants to suggest a more equitable, self-reliant and self-sustaining style of development focusing on the efficient management of resources like agricultural, industrial, human, and social. The participation and uplift of farmers, artisans, laborers and other organizations a collective action for the benefit a self-reliant strategy is highly imperative.

Looking into the resource potentials of Thar the most neglected spheres in the past may be brought under active national development program. Before dealing with pressing points, it is suggested that Thar Arid Agriculture and Livestock Development Center be established on long term basis with objectives to identify special problems and natural and human resources, particularly agriculture, soil conservation, water, small scale agro-industries, and basic infra-structure to ascertain development potentials and possibilities of technological and institutional improvements in livestock, forestry, range management and cooperatives. It will suggest technology, cropping pattern, cultural practices and better seed. For industrial development, it is again suggested that industrial projects are launched to obtain maximum use of local raw materials and minerals. For the development of physical infra-structure, surveys of appropriate sites should be carried out for the construction of small dams, roads and rail. The development of social intra-structure needs plans for introducing technical and health facilities along with development plans as proposed in the program.

There are no realistic estimates available for forage yields from grazing lands vis-a-vis the grazing capacity of different areas in related to the duration and intensity of rainfall. According to an estimate, in a zone of 125 mm rainfall, about 125-150 acres are needed to maintain one sheep a year; whereas, in 150-200mm zone, the average is about 60-80 acres. Based on conservative estimates, the pressure of livestock in Thar is five to ten times the optimum. Thus besides inefficient livestock production, overgrazing is badly affecting the quality of rangelands. Livestock almost entirely subsists on natural grazing, which mostly consists of permanent bushes, shrubs and native grasses. During the monsoon, if there is an adequate rainfall, natural grasses spring up profusely and provide abundant grazing. The rainfall is usually scanty and limited to about 150-200mm a year; most of which occurs from July to September. Thus pasture season is extremely short.

Frequent droughts are characterized by scarcity of food and fodder, lack of access to income generating opportunities, migration, sale of livestock at large scale, market exploitation, indebtedness and famine in extreme cases. Usually from December to May, small farmers and tenants start migrating to irrigated areas of Sindh. Males members migrate along with the livestock herds. Sometimes, all family members. The intensity and amount of rainfall has been low during the last two decades resulting in intermittent but frequent droughts which compelled them sell livestock at about 50% of usual market value.

Mass exodus of people from desert to irrigated areas is an economic phenomenon. The national economic problems could only be solved by alleviation of poverty, regional planning, and development of potential areas. It is in increasing opportunities through farming, small scale decentralized agro-industries, labour intensive work, better physical infra-structure, land development and development of villages. The productivity per person is a measure of the prosperity of people. Complete or partial drought conditions, nonavailability of work, low income and depletion of means of earning, compel desert population to migrate to the adjacent irrigated areas. In the desert severe conditions prevail from March to July, un-employment and difficult survival of livestock become a problem leaving no alternative but to migrate.

Wildlife has a significant bearing on greenery and foraging. Tharparkar district is blessed with beautiful species of birds and animals. A sizeable wildlife is found in Chinkara Gazella benetti, desert fox Vulpels vuples griffithi, Jackal Canis aureus, Hyaena Hyafrla Striata and mangoose. Among birds the most famous is Peacock Pavo Cristatus, partridge Favncolinus pondocerianus menaesis, Barn owl Tyto alba, Indian scoop Owl Otus bakkamoena, Sindh night jar Caprimulgus maharattensis, Indian night jar Caprimulgus asiaticus, and dove Streptopelia senegalensis, venomous snakes; Khapar, Sindh rattler, cobra etc. found in the rainy seasons.

The wild life is fast disappearing in Thar desert. Fox, wild cat, and other small animals could still be found in the area. While among economic birds of economic value only partridges and sand grouse are self-managed. Abundant rodents and snakes are the enemies of humans and cattles. The snakes. The rats enemies of agriculture and pastures are rampant in the area mostly in hot rainy season.

Water resource development is a gigantic problem of Thar. Soil erosion could be reduced to a minimum not only to improve the local conditions but also for the continued prosperity. Great difficulties arise from the variability and irregularity of the rainy seasons causing uncertain water supplies for crops. Besides, much of the rainfall is lost through run-offs in Nagarparkar area. During rainy season, water in streams, gullies and hill cause flash floods, devastation of crops and washing of top soils. Water so lost could irrigate all land of the desert if properly harnessed. Water can be collected in earthen dams and ponds, used optimally, could provide a valuable alternative. For this purpose site specific technologies should be developed.

Hydrological surveys are required to identify possibilities of tapping water resources, both surface and underground, through tubewells and wells that need to be vigorously pursued. Systematic studies, surveys and planning should be undertaken for the construction of medium and small dams and ponds. The shallow water reserves at the depth of 25 to 50 feet available in almost all talukas of the desert particularly Diplo and Nagarparkar could be developed for general use and for irrigating small fields. The local population lacks technical know-how and has no financial resources to install even Egyptian wheels or small engines to pump water. Efforts should be made to finance these farmers or to exploit water resources.

Village Name	Tubewell Depth	Static Water Level (From GL)	Discharge (GPM)	Report Date	TDS (ppm)	pH value
Raryaro	1180	325	25-30	2-1-2002	6643	7.2
Mevo Rind	750	120	50	14-4-2003	3610	7.1
Nanisar	680	110	30-50	19-3-2002	8449	7.2
Rohar Kelhan	1150	265	40	12-2-2002	5050	8.3

Rainfalls in cycles and three-years of famine in ten years and a year of rain scarcity occurs once in every three years. Sometimes, at places, water is not even available for drinking purpose. Wells dry down and their recharge become insufficient to feed wells particularly during summers. The existing inadequate number of wells are most of poor people of the area. The number of wells could be increased. Some experts claim that deep seated sweet water aquifers occur at about 600 to 1000 and perched water at 100 to 300 feet.

Ancient history reveals that rivers, Sutlej and Saraswati passed through Thar desert and ended in the Gulf of Kutchh at Parinager, an ancient sea port. Later the Saraswati dried up and now Ghaghar flows to the east of Bhawalpur. The Sutlej has shifted its course, the bed turned into natural channel, known as Nara. The old river beds should be surveyed which would provide stream of underground sweet water for tubewell installation. Also the old river bed could again be opened and fed from some barrage or flood flows which otherwise go waste.

According to a recent report large deposits of good quantity lignite coal, are abundant in Tharpakar district and an in-exhaustible good quality granite deposits at Nagarparkar. Almost entire Karunjhar range granite formation, and Sulphur deposits in karunjhar hills, besides china clay and other minerals in smaller quantities. There also exist a huge salt mine (NaC1) adjacent to Runn of Kutchh in Diplo taluka.

There is a precious reserve of building stones of good quality in Nagarparkar hills. Many other minerals and crockery clay as well as cement stone could be derived from these rocks. Also a well known natural common salt reserve in Diplo (Saran) be developed on commercial lines. However, extensive survey is required to explore the hidden treasures of the sand and hills. Most probably, the desert could yield petroleum.

The development could mean uplift of all geographic parts, productive as well as less expensive. The development programs should entail uniform approach providing equal opportunities to local people without disparities and unsatisfaction, which demand coordinated efforts for the development of the area on sound lines.

The people of Thar receive a little share in the national developments. Unfortunately very little efforts have been made for the desert area and to elevate the standard of living of the people. They deserve attention to receive share in economic advantages being the inherent basic rights of the people, while the nation must seek the participation of these people in the national development. The well being of these people is a natural challenge. The people are tax payers, producers, consumers, voters, fair labour force and above all integrate part of economic mechanism of the country.

The desert community is under pressure from numerous spheres of modernization and changes. It has been stratified but stands as a cohesive unit that preserves oligarchy of the privileged classes and function on the basis of custom and usage in isolation. The welfare of the community inevitably means that a few influential well connected and affluent people apportionate the lion�s share of the benefits from development. It is possible to alter these trends, and to establish economic stability sustainable for the future provided that a clear understanding is achieved at various levels of decision- making. The Barani tract of Thar is too big a resource to be ignored, but rather deserves creation of a new socio-economic order.

The implementation of desert welfare policies is not an easy task as there has existed for centuries a stratified. unjust and exploitative socio-economic order. The Thar desert tract has been entirely left out of developments feeling frustrated, causing widening of income disparities in the region. As mentioned earlier, social justice needs be provided to promote education and economic interests, enable education, training, agricultural and industrial development and allow participation in national activities by encouraging the people of desert area.

Miserable living conditions, traveling to distant places in search of employment, and indebtedness are socio-economic problems. The landless and the jobless are living without dignity and security due to social injustice and exploitative order. Migration takes away the more enterprising and talented persons out of communities and the hiatus leads to slow progress and absence of innovation and creative purposeful change rather abject poverty of the people. The labour migrated from Thar to irrigated areas mostly seek employment in agriculture particularly to harvesting of winter crops at lower rates. The area is being managed at extremely primitive levels of technology, but there are bright possibilities of securing manifold increases in agricultural and livestock production by the use of appropriate technologies. Resources development is a function of technology. The disturbed man-land ratio results in a stagnant, un-progressive and exploitative system of the land use. However, whatever strategy may be embarked upon must have following ingrained objectives:

However, the short term approaches must be aimed at to provide relief in least period of time, which may be as follows:

Droughts reduce the vigor of plants, ultimately leading to plant mortality causing deforestation. Deforestation and desertification problems need immediate attention and require long-term program. The mainstay of the life of the people inhabiting arid zones is livestock and agriculture. It is imperative to raise income of the people substantially by maximizing productivity through improved livestock production, range management, and the eco-system.

We cannot afford to ignore our rainfed areas. We should have a comprehensive plan to develop for mitigation of its livestock resources, agro-forestry-based problems of soil productivity, deteriorated rangelands and whole ecosystem.

- Preparing village profiles of the Arid Zone for Agriculture and Livestock population,

Integrated survey of natural resources including land forms, soils, flora, fauna, surface and ground water, present land use and land degradation status will be undertaken using the concept of Major Land Resource units. Buried courses of river in the desert will be mapped using satellite imagery, confirmed through geophysical depth soundings and successfully used for ground water exploration. Based on satellite imagery, maps of processes leading to desertification and common property resources will be developed.

The extent of soil movement under different land use systems will be quantified. Soil movement due to barren surface and high wind velocity is a major problem. Technologies to minimize sand movement through establishment of shelter belt and technologies for dune stabilization will also be developed.

For efficient rainwater harvest, catchments and storage technologies will be refined and developed. Since soils are sandy and water retention is poor, water is rapidly lost either as evaporation or deep drainage. For holistic management of water the concepts of watershed management for areas having single integrated drainage system and index catchment for areas lacking single drainage system will be developed.

The arid region is endowed with minerals that are being increasingly exploited and a trail of waste land is left. Technologies integrating species, soil amendments and water harvesting for rehabilitation of gypsum and limestone mine lands will be developed.

Technologies for sustainable crop production under rainfed conditions will be developed. Improved varieties of pearl millet, clusterbean, mothbean and horsegram will be developed at the center and released for large scale plantation. Paired and triplet planting as well as intercroppings will be tried for higher yields during low rainfall years. Interplot and in-plot rain water harvesting and adoption of soil moisture conservation measures will be taken for increased crop yields.

Benefits of high soil fertility in ameliorating the adverse effects of moisture and salinity stress will be established and contributions of legumes in improving the soil fertility and contribution of BNF in improvement of yields of legumes will be quantified. In the deserts, most of the urea applied is lost due to volatilization. A simple cost effective technology involving sulphur mixed urea may increase the efficiency of urea fertilizer.

Technologies for various land use systems like agroforestry, agrihorticulture, hortipastrol and silvipastrol systems will be developed. Adoption of ley farming involving cultivation of crops in rotation with grasses may improve the soil physico-chemical properties and crop yields. Management practices and productivity of range lands in different agroecology zones will be developed and their carrying capacity quantified.

In the arid region there is plenty of scope for cultivation of fruits trees. Technique for propagation of Ber through budding of improved varieties like Gola, Seb, and Soofi on local root stock can make major impact. A large number of varieties that can be successfully raised will be identified, even on marginal lands with certain conservation measures. Due to proposed technologies developed to raise improved varieties and better management practices the orchard areas will continuously rise. Technologies for extraction and processing of juice/pulp of fruits will be standardized.

Livestock are an important source of sustenance of farmers during low rainfall when crop yields are too low to be of any economic significance. The time of first calving and the inter-calving period can be reduced through proper management of cattle. Different breeds of suitable sheep will be identified for the desert tracts. These breeds can sustain watered properly without any adverse effects on body weight. New breeds of goat having higher growth rate will be identified vis-a-vis milk yield and duration of lactation. A technique of ensiling surplus fodder, using over-fermented milk, urea and molasses will be developed. Digestibility of high tannin feed will be improved by soaking it in 1% aqueous solution of NaCo₃ sodium carbonate. A balanced concentrate of mineral mixture will be developed to hasten the body weight gain, milk and wool yield in sheep and milk yield in cattle. Non-descriptive (indigenous) cattle will be crossed with exotic germplasma. Thari and Kankrej cows, Kachhi and Kuka sheep, Kachhan, Kuri, Tharki, Tapri or Lappi goats, and Dhatti, Desi, Bekaneri and Sindhi camels will be documented and developed. The man-animal ratio of 1:4.6 will be increased to commercial level.

In the arid regions there is a plenty of wind and solar energies to meet the human needs both in urban and rural areas. Various types of windmills for pumping up water and generating mechanical power and solar cookers to cook food and feed, water heaters and distillation plants will be designed and developed. To dehydrate agricultural produce dryers are getting popular as the produce retains its color, flavor and texture. Similarly wax melter and candle making machine is also getting popular. To make these versatile and multipurpose, devices will be developed. Solar PV panels will be successfully used to supply power to run television, light, fan, pesticide sprayers and operate drip irrigation systems.

The socio-economic viability of the proposed technologies development evaluation of and evaluated surveys of the desert dwellers will be undertaken. The cost benefit analysis of various land use systems will be carried out for pasture live- stock system.

Plenty of raw materials are produced in Thar, but are bereft of industrial effort. Skins and hides, wool of sheep, goat and camel hair, milk and milk products are also available. Thar is famous for articles of oriental beauty manufactured in household. The handicrafts are known in the world, but how to market them. The poor people make these articles, get a few rupees for their labour, while exporters sitting else where fetch handsome margins.

With research efforts the proposed center will be able to reach a large number of farmers and concerned state government officials with information of new desert development technologies.

1. Arrange and organize training for pastoral community to understand the trends of

2. Conserve indigenous animal germplasm and exploit it for increasing productivity.

6. Create effective marketing mechanism for fresh milk by setting chilling units where

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Prof. Dr. Bashir Ahmed Sheikh

Agriculture has always played a vital role in socio-economic development of the people. It is the primary source of employment, livelihood, and food security for the majority of population. The agriculture of Pakistan in general and Sindh in particular is exposed to a number of problems ranging from national at grassroots to international levels, from poor yields to marketability of commodities, water shortages to conservation, from grading to set world quality norms, and from indiscriminate use of pesticides to biological control. The yield of major crops like cereal production has decreased due to variety of reasons. The most significant appear to be ecological changes and timely availability of the inputs including non availability of high yielding and disease, insect and pest free elite stock of seed varieties (germplasm) in addition to scarcity of water fit for irrigation purposes. The World Trade Organization (WTO) regime has become another most critical challenge for Pakistan and other developing countries. Its implications on agriculture, undoubtedly, surpass all other threats confronted by other sectors of economy. It is therefore, imperative to take immediate and structural measures in agriculture sector to deal with the short-term and long-term challenges of WTO. According to WTO agreement on agriculture (AoA), it is mandatory for each country, to provide market access to international commodities and to curb and do away with domestic and export subsidies. Therefore, the government policies are required to be focused on the measures to control/minimize the cost of production to a sustainable level besides, maintaining quality to enable entrepreneurs for their survival and competition in the international market.

In the wake of ever increasing human population in the country, it becomes imperative to formulate new long term policies horizontally and vertically for food security and embark upon the new projects in agriculture to cater to the needs of the rising population in the next 25-50 years. It has to increase cereal production by at least 40% over the next 25 years to meet needs for food, livestock feed, and fiber crops. Similarly, production of all other major food products shall have to be increased to keep pace with population growth and subsequent demand. The per capita agricultural land continues to shrink and land resources are increasingly depleting. The continued problems of salinity and deforestation have assumed a proportion of menace to be reckoned with. Above all, the water scarcity will become more acute over the years due to global warming and loss of glaciers.

Pakistan is facing a severe drought of its history for the last few years. Over 5 million people are facing famine-like situation in many districts of Balochistan, Thar, Dadu, and Thatta. The provinces are seriously confronting on the distribution of water. Some experts emphasize for efficient utilization of surface water. Even the reallocation of water need to be reviewed at canal command level in the light of cropping pattern, cropping intensity and other related factors. It must be supplemented by fully exploiting groundwater, rain harvesting and exploitation of avenues of new water (if feasible) wherever possible. The agriculture sector should focus on the production of crops that require less water and those that have a high export value. The issue of low productivity arises not only with crops but also with livestock and fisheries. The strategies established for increasing productivity with crops are further linked to high yielding varieties, availability of the quality of seed including hybrid ones, balanced fertilizer application, integrated pest management, and optimum but effective and efficient utilization of water and land resources.

The province of Sindh occupies special position in Pakistan. It totally depends on the water of Indus which travels thousands of miles away from Himalayas in Tibet. Without Indus water, Sindh is totally barren and prone to seawater encroachment. Recent drought accompanied by cyclone of 1998 has rendered infertile, the vast fertile lands along the sea belt. Because Sindh is a natural drainage valley, it offers drainage outlet to entire Pakistan. While the Mother Nature has graced it with responsibility of drainage relief for entire country, it has blessed it with early maturing climate suitable for agricultural crops, reverine and estuarial mangrove forests as well. Its vast Thar desert and hilly ranges further invite the experts and the investors to harvest the unexplored potentials of minerals and biodiversity. The land and water data between 1997-98 and 1999-2000 states that the province of Sindh has 34.77 million acres (MA) of land, out of which there is about 9.75 MA area cropped at 4.7 Acre-feet of water per acre of land. Average yields of Sindh are almost equal to that of the Punjab but much lower than world averages. Therefore, there is, dire need to prevent further loss to agriculture, add new facilities for advanced research and development, provide basic framework for redirecting policies and priorities, and mobilizing and reallocating funds to optimize use of physical and natural resources and the physical environment in ways that are ecologically sustainable and economically and socially viable.

The higher education is a capital investment and is of paramount importance for economic and social development of the country. Mandatorily, the institutions of higher education have the main responsibility of producing individuals with advanced knowledge and skills required for positions of responsibility in the public and private organizations. Only highly educated manpower with updated knowledge can handle advanced technology & innovations. Thus, without the participation of well-qualified manpower, the process of economic development cannot be accelerated in any sector, be it Agriculture or otherwise. Moreover, the fast communication access has led to the internationalization and globalization of economies, knowledge and culture. The concept of access to life long learning�s have also assumed a distinctive character and so is higher education at national and international scene. Internationalization has put university education in the forefront of the world educational map. Thus our universities and institutions will be required to meet the international standards and provide better out look and comfortable living to attract international community for education and research.

Looking into the above scenario, the main goal of Agriculture universities will be to overcome the problems by creating conducive academic and research environment to produce well equipped manpower in agriculture and allied sciences and to meet the international standards of education and research aimed at, to bring a quantum jump in yields and production and to alleviate poverty particularly in rural Pakistan. To achieve these goals, there must be clarity of vision and objective definition of targets, which may be as:

Above objectives could however be achieved through restructuring of organizational setup of the universities, development of human resources, provision and facilitation of infra-structure, and identification of focused areas of research. In this regard 27 focused areas of research have been identified by Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, related to agricultural problem and issues. The principal activities of the focused research will however, be to conserve water through efficient use of irrigation application methods such as drip, sprinkler, bubbler, border, furrow, rain harvesting and ponding, to develop waste lands; to develop salt and water tolerant crops, shrubs, trees and grass inventory for introduction and growth in waterlogged and saline lands; development of desert lands using brackish groundwater through highly efficient pressurized irrigation systems, to exploit potential of agriculture in coastal area of sindh to generate income for the downtrodden people of the area; to develop strategies to produce quality seed including hybrids to achieve high yield potential; to conserve and develop indigenous crop and animal(cattle, buffalo, camel and small ruminants) germplasm; improve livestock production potential through Artificial Insemination and embryo transfer technology to utilize sugar, food and beverage industrial waste for animal feeding and establish �Agriculture Advisory Services Facility" at SAU Tandojam to coordinate and institutionalize outreach efforts in effective manner.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FOR FOOD SECURITY

FOCUSED AREAS OF RESEARCH

ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW DEPARTMENTS, CENTERS AND CELLS IN UNIVERSITY

1. Seed Production Technology and their promotion and propagation including oilseeds and development of Hybrid seeds.

2. Arid and Bio-saline Agriculture

3. Conservation of Crop and Livestock Germplasm

4. Agriculture Production Potential in Coastal Areas

5. Integrated Pest Management

6. Prevention of deforestation and desertification and exploitation of rangelands

7. Aquaculture and Integrated Farming System

8. Poultry/Livestock Farming and least cost formulation of rations.

9. Hydroponics/Tunnel farming

10.Utilization of Agro-Industrial by-products

11.Exploitation of Non-conventional feeds for livestock production

12. Crop and Animal Health System

13. Embryo transfer technology

14. Rural Development / Poverty Alleviation through increasing capacity building/increased household income of farmers.

15.Conservation and efficient utilization of water

16. Exploitation of renewable energy resources

17.Infrastructure development (Housing and Shelter Engineering)

18.Agro-chemical testing and evaluation facility

19.Tissue culture facilities

20.Post-harvest technologies and its transfer to stakeholders

21.Development of Fruit and Vegetable Processing Technology

22.Soil Conservation, Rehabilitation and Environmental Studies

23. Agriculture Advisory Services Cell

24. Student Counseling and Placement Services

25. Quality Assurance & Learning Innovations and Evaluation Facilities

26. WTO Implementation and Agriculture Trade and Services facilities

27. Bio Informatics and Management Sciences

1. Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and seed production Centre

2. Institute of Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology

3. Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences

4. Development of Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre

5. Institute of Plant Diseases and Control

6. Institute of Integrated Pest Management

7. Agro-Chemical Testing and Evaluation Facility

8. Bio-Saline Agriculture and Livestock Research Center, (Thar& Kohistan)

9. Integrated Aquaculture Farming Centre

10. Establishment of Department of Veterinary Continuum Education

11. Centre for Soil Conservation and Environmental Sciences

12. Embryo Transfer Centre

13. Water Resources Management Institute

14. Institute of Bio-informatics and Management Sciences (IBMS)

15. Centre for Sustainable Development Studies

16. WTO Implementation and Agriculture Trade and Services Cell

17. Quality Assurance & Learning Innovations and Evaluation Facilities at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam

18. Farmers Advisory Services and Agricultural Technology Transfer Facility

19. English Language Development Center

20. Student Counseling and Placement Centre

21. Farmer�s Radio Station and dissemination of Agriculture and Weather related information

The world�s population is to reach 8.5 billion in next 20 years, with 83% of the world population living in the developing world. Therefore, we from less developed area, must have the potential and the ability to meet growing demands for food, for ever increasing population, for which the planning in the past, had been erratic and uncertain. The greatest challenge lying ahead for all of us is to increase food production while maintaining the ecosystem stability, and rehabitating the environment. The issues and challenges in this regard are to be overcome in a manner, so that, everyone can be adequately and nutritiously fed, without over-exploiting and over consuming the natural resources and affecting Earth�s ecosystems.

This is more so necessary in the light of Agriculture Scenario of past 57 years on which we have only witnessed stagnation instead of expansion and environmental degradation instead of gradation. This had further been aggravated due to inadequate resource allocation to the sector commensturating with its contribution in G.D.P. This has further jeoperdised R&D efforts in the sector to keep pace with time and the needs which happen to be dynamic in nature.

Due to intensive cultivation and over exploitation, there has been a continuous decline in per cpita availability of land resources in the country. As resut of unabated population growth in the country coupled dwindling water resources, it is projected now, that almost all future increases in food production need to be attained vertically, i.e. as a result of increase in yield (output per unit land area/animal per unit time) and from growing additional crops during a given year on the same land. There are really, no other viable options. This underscores the need and the importance of science and new technologies, for meeting future national and global food needs. Environment issues will become more challenging as more land, water, fertilizers and pesticides are diverted for food production to attain higher productivity. New technologies will accentuate for the use of more, not less, inputs and chemicals (fertilizer, pesticides) to increase food production. This is going to happen as populations continue to increase and demands continue to inflate.

Degradations of environment, arising from agricultural production, are present, in many forms. Agricultural production is chief user of our land and water resources. Debates will continue on issues of food safety, deleterious effects on fish and wildlife, endangered species and carcinogenicity arising out of agriculture inputs leading to environmental degradation and pollution. It has not yet been clarified by anyone, as to what an extent, environmentally sustainable set of agricultural production technologies be? The economics as well as the technology of development are changing so rapidly that older assumptions are of no consequence and valid any more.

As a matter of fact, many societal global problems have emerged, relating to agricultural sustainability and food security. These include poverty, malnutrition, inflation, unemployment, soil erosion, deforestation, desertification, firewood shortages, toxic chemicals in our environment, changing climate impacts, and agricultural production stability. These problems strongly suggest, that developing world and ourselves, to reassess our needs and seek technologies, that will result in stable production at higher levels. We must address ourselves seriously to their accomplishment in a sustainable manner. Sustainable agriculture is based on the sustainable use of natural heritage including land, water and agricultural biodiversity, (plants and animals). Sustainable use of these resources, in turn, requires that their ownership and control lie with decentralized agricultural communities in order to generate livelihoods, provide food and harness conservation strategies. These three elements ie ecological stability, livelihood opportunity and food security must be the essential ingredients of our agriculture policies, and programs they are both equitable and sustainable.

The current processes of globalization and liberalization of agriculture, threatens to undermine all three dimensions of sustainable agriculture. They are undermining ecological security, by removing all limits on the concentration of ownerships of natural resources, (land, water and biodiversity) and by encouraging non-sustainable resource exploitation, for short-term profits. Trade liberalization of agriculture, has not been guided by the need, for providing livelihood security, for two-thirds of Pakistan�s people, who are farmers, for the food security of the poorer half of the nation, or for country as a whole. Thus, the livelihood base of millions of farmers, and food security at the household, regional and national levels is severely threatened by the globalization of agriculture.

The diversion of natural resources from ecological sustenance, protection of livelihoods and satisfaction of basic needs, to luxury exports and for corporate profit has been made possible because of the five decades of inadequate agricultural policies during which this sector was made to run on massive debts and subsidies while ignoring all the ecological imperatives of sustainability.

Liberalization of agriculture can be on the other hand, in the form of external or internal, depending on whose freedom, forms the basis of liberalization. External liberalization serves the interests of global commerce, and is based on the integration of agriculture into the global market, irrespective of the social and ecological costs. Internal liberalization however, is based on the integration of agriculture into ecological processes, that ensure food security at the household, community and national levels. However, in the wake of WTO challenges, we have to maintain and strike a balance between, EXTERNAL LIBERALIZATION VERSUS INTERNAL LIBERALIZATION.

Trade liberalization and globalization of agriculture, is supposed to increase the production of food as well as the efficiency of food production, alleviate the economic situation of farmers, and improve patterns of food consumption. But in country after country, trade liberalization is leading to a decline in: food production, productivity, and in the conditions of farmers in the North, as well as in the South. Besides, there is less food security for consumers, both in the North and the South.

There are five major sources of external liberalization or globalization of agriculture.

From the above, it is not difficult to visualize that external liberalization is foreign trade and foreign investment driven liberalization: it serves external interests. Agricultural liberalization under SAPs is an example of such external liberalization. It consists of the following elements:

Internal liberalization of agriculture, implies liberating agriculture in the direction of ecological sustainability and social justice. This includes:

In brief, it can safely be said that, Internal liberalization of agriculture is a pre-condition for food security, while external liberalization undermines food security.

Times now have changed, and stable higher production, is still a dream, but remains as a goal, which should be achieved with a minimum of resource inputs. We must shift from a resource based, to a more science based agriculture. This means low inputs to agriculture and animal production, emphasizing efficiency of water use, and enhancement of productivity per unit of land/animal, from both higher yields and more crops per year, and without further causing any harm, to the environment and the ecosystem.

The role of science for future increases of agricultural and animal production will focus on biology. The past century witnessed industrial revolution. The next revolution will be biological one. The 21^st century can be projected as a biological opportunity century, with renewed emphasis, not only in the production, but also on the use of renewable resources.

Control of the basic biological processes that regulate and limit crop and livestock productivity will become increasingly important. This means greater emphasis on genetic improvements, reproductive efficiency, improved animal health, emphasis on protein synthesis, alleviation of stress, and resource conservation. It is in this context that vision document for the development of Agriculture in Sindh in particular and Pakistan in general has been developed which highlights short term strategies, long terms goals and focussed areas of research and activities through Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam as a premier seat of Agriculture education and applied research. The contents of vision include.

Short Term Objectives

Long Term Objectives

Above objectives could, however, be achieved through restructuring of organizational setup of the University, development of human resource, provision and facilitation of infra-structure, and identification of focused areas of research. In this regard 27 focused areas of research have been identified related to agricultural issues and challenges. The main activities of the focused research will however, be to conserve water through efficient use of irrigation application methods such as drip, sprinkler, bubbler, border, furrow, rain harvesting and ponding to develop waste lands; to develop salt and water tolerant crops, shrubs, trees and grass inventory for introduction and growth in waterlogged and saline lands; development of desert lands using brackish groundwater through highly efficient pressurized irrigation systems like drip, bubblers and sprinklers; to exploit potential of agriculture in coastal area of Sindh to generate income for the downtrodden people of the area; to develop strategies to produce quality seed including hybrids to achieve high yield potential; to conserve and develop Indigenous cattle, buffalo, camel and small ruminants� germplasm; improve livestock production potential through Artificial Insemination and embryo transfer technology and establish �Agriculture Advisory Services Cell" at SAU Tandojam to coordinate and institutionalize outreach efforts in effective manner.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FOR FOOD SECURITY

FOCUSED AREAS OF RESEARCH

ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW DEPARTMENTS, CENTERS AND CELLS IN UNIVERSITY

1. Seed Production Technology and their promotion and propagation including oilseeds and development of Hybrid seeds.

2. Arid and Bio-saline Agriculture

3. Conservation of Crop and Livestock Germplasm

4. Agriculture Production Potential in Coastal Areas

5. Integrated Pest Management

6. Prevention of deforestation and desertification and exploitation of rangelands

7. Aquaculture and Integrated Farming System

8. Poultry/Livestock Farming and least cost formulation of rations.

9. Hydroponics/Tunnel farming

10.Utilization of Agro-Industrial by-products

11.Exploitation of Non-conventional feeds for livestock production

12. Crop and Animal Health System

13. Embryo transfer technology

14. Rural Development / Poverty Alleviation through increasing capacity building/increased household income of farmers.

15.Conservation and efficient utilization of water

16. Exploitation of renewable energy resources

17.Infrastructure development (Housing and Shelter Engineering)

18.Agro-chemical testing and evaluation facility

19.Tissue culture facilities

20.Post-harvest technologies and its transfer to stakeholders

21.Development of Fruit and Vegetable Processing Technology

22.Soil Conservation, Rehabilitation and Environmental Studies

23. Agriculture Advisory Services Cell

24. Student Counseling and Placement Services

25. Quality Assurance & Learning Innovations and Evaluation Facilities

26. WTO Implementation and Agriculture Trade and Services facilities

27. Bio Informatics and Management Sciences

1. Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and seed production Centre

2. Institute of Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology

3. Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences

4. Development of Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre

5. Institute of Plant Diseases and Control

6. Institute of Integrated Pest Management

7. Agro-Chemical Testing and Evaluation Facility

8. Bio-Saline Agriculture and Livestock Research Center, (Thar& Kohistan)

9. Integrated Aquaculture Farming Centre

10. Establishment of Department of Veterinary Continuum Education

11. Centre for Soil Conservation and Environmental Sciences

12. Embryo Transfer Centre

13. Water Resources Management Institute

14. Institute of Bio-informatics and Management Sciences (IBMS)

15. Centre for Sustainable Development Studies

16. WTO Implementation and Agriculture Trade and Services Cell

17. Quality Assurance & Learning Innovations and Evaluation Facilities at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam

18. Farmers Advisory Services and Agricultural Technology Transfer Facility

19. English Language Development Center

20. Student Counseling and Placement Centre

21. Farmer�s Radio Station and dissemination of Agriculture and Weather related information

Food security assurance for ever increasing population of Pakistan warrants to formulate new long term policies horizontally and vertically and embark upon the new projects in agriculture to cater to the needs of the rising population in the next 25-50 years. It has to increase cereal production by at least 40 percent over the next 25 years to meet needs for food, livestock feed, and fiber crops. Similarly, production of all other major food products shall have to be increased to keep pace with population growth and subsequent demand. The per capita agricultural land continues to shrink along with depletion of the increased resources. The continued and un-ending problems of salinity and deforestation are also the challenges to be faced with. Above all, the water scarcity will become more acute over the years due to global warming and loss of glaciers. Some of the current problems encountered in the agriculture productivity are non-availability of high yielding and disease, insect and pest free elite stock for seedling/seed.

The breakthrough innovations in digital revolution are the main challenges for higher education institutions in Pakistan. The rise of internationalization, globalization of economies, knowledge and culture and the concept of life long learning give a distinctive character to higher education at national and international level. Internationalization has put university education in the forefront of the world educational map. Thus our universities and institutions will be required to revamp their programs to meet the international standards and produce market-oriented graduates equipped with knowledge to face rapidly changing and challenging environment.

As a matter of fact, the higher education is a capital intensive investment and is of paramount importance for economic and social development of the country. It is more so when it comes to Agriculture and its involvement and contribution in the national economy.

It is evident that the agriculture plays an important role in providing employment opportunities. The institutions of higher education have the principal responsibility for needed manpower well equipped with advanced knowledge and skills required for positions of responsibility in both the public and private organizations. Only highly educated manpower with updated knowledge can handle advanced technology & innovations. Thus, without the participation of well-qualified manpower, the process of economic development cannot be accelerated. Thus, the Agriculture Universities possess the potential and can emerge as the nurseries of human resource development coupled with a strong research base. The priorities of agricultural education at the university level should be redefined and identified and used as a basis for future leaders in agriculture. Persons filling the positions would be expected to develop a program in the focused area accompanied by teaching, research and extension activities, selecting and by appropriate staff that must possess demonstrated capability of leadership.

Agricultural education per se is a broad based multi disciplinary domain, focusing on needs assessment, formal and informal teaching approaches, curriculum planning and development, instructional and program delivery approaches, application of educational technology, instructional evaluation, appropriateness of education, policy issues related to education in agriculture based institutional organizations, and management of agricultural institutions in domestic and international settings. It must be borne in mind that a discipline cannot be strengthened without verifying the existing knowledge as well as creating new knowledge. Research must always be the strongest component of a discipline serving as a foundation for teaching and extension.

There is a dire need to develop broad based agricultural education curricula including newly emerging disciplines like biotechnology, biological diversity and genetic resources, agricultural production systems compatible with the environment, understanding diet, human nutrition and health relationships, competitiveness of national agriculture, genetic improvement or modification of economically important crops and livestock, safety and quality of food products, potential effects of global climate changes on agriculture, livestock fisheries and forest productivity.

Rising green house effect over the years which has drastically affected the ecosystems causing the melting of polar ice caps, prima frost and glaciers has already resulted in the setting of a chain of events, beginning with the rising seal level and ending with the destruction of potable water supplies, forests, livestock and agriculture in many parts of the world. Subjects relevant to such a situation should also be included in the curricula and programs at the universities.

Multidisciplinary approaches will be needed to identify many of the market �oriented disciplines. For example, business management courses may be included in crop and livestock production courses. Joint international consultancy and bilateral link programs provide a means for collaborative research on national and international problems and issues and at the same time help to internationalize the teaching and research functions.

Agricultural centers of excellence are yielding new technologies and agricultural education can be helpful in technology transfer activities by being a part of interdisciplinary teams. Fields in which agricultural centers of excellence, emerging on university campuses, can make a significant contribution which may include sustainable agriculture, indigenous genetic resources conservation, water resources management, biosaline research, food quality and safety, computer science, bioinformatics, rural development, agri-business management, agricultural products processing, biotechnology, arid zone development, soil tilth and soil enrichment, integrated pest management, aquaculture, integrated management, energy and environment, and women�s issues in small scale agriculture.

Another important objective of agriculture education is to embark upon research on various agricultural issues and disseminate appropriate technologies aimed at decreasing cost of production and increasing production by generating income for reducing dependence. To achieve the international standards, it is imperative to readdress and strengthen research activities at university level. The research therefore, be focused in applied sciences of agriculture and education and be adhered to the national research agenda followed by its inclusion in the development plans at national level. The discovery of new knowledge will not necessarily improve a discipline, the systematic delivery and application of the new knowledge being equally important must be embarked upon with similar commitment. Model agricultural education programs that feature the new knowledge can facilitate use of research findings.

University education�s challenge is to develop academic programs with high impact. This will require teams of dedicated faculty working on relevant problems in a sustained manner which must yield clear solutions, and such research can form an important basis of agricultural education. Here, it must be added that even the best curricula and textbooks cannot produce results if well-trained teachers are not available and are not professionally committed and dedicated. Priority therefore should be given to improve the quality of teaching and research. The main target group of the university is the youth between 19-24 years old, which is the critical mass for future leadership of the country. For effective teaching, overcrowding of the students in classroom and laboratories has to be brought down to the level of acceptable numbers duly supported with equipment, audio-visual aids and comfortable and conducive environment. Thus, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam visualizes to excel in producing quality manpower and advanced research and reach out to all the stakeholders to overcome the issues and challenges in the sector.

Looking into the above scenario, the main goal of Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam will be to overcome these challenges through creating conducive academic and research environment at Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam to produce well equipped manpower in agriculture and allied sciences and to meet the international standards of education and research aimed at to bring a quantum jump in yields and production and to alleviate poverty particularly in rural Pakistan. To overcome the issues and challenges lying ahead, the education need to be goal oriented characterized by short term objectives and long term targets which may be as follows:

Making existing laboratories of various departments functional through repair of sick equipment provision of state-of-the-art equipment for advanced research; increased enrollment at undergraduate and postgraduate level to meet human resources demand, revision of curriculum to meet the needs of employers/clientele in public and private sector; improved evaluation system of theses, and defense examinations, digitization of library by equipping with latest books, journals, official records (both hard and electronic copies) computerized administrative system including, accounts, admissions, examinations and farms and identification of focused areas of academic and research activity and development of research proposals for national and international funding. The long term may however, be to establish new departments/centers in emerging sciences; Improvement in skills through foreign and local trainings to faculty and administrative staff renovation and construction of new buildings to house faculty, students and staff creation and development new institutes through deserving and establishment, improve and enhance transportation system; establishment of repair and maintenance workshops for electro-mechanical laboratory equipment and automobiles, provision and construction of physical fitness centers through modern sports complex for both male and female students and the staff strengthening of existing telecommunication system improvement in basic Infra-structure; Initiation and institutionalization of participatory activity with farmers and stakeholders.

One of the important objectives of Sindh Agriculture University is to embark upon quality research on agricultural issues in Pakistan and to disseminate and deliver such information to farmers to increase agricultural productivity and to provide food security, rural development and alleviation of poverty. At present country population has gone over 149 million. Growing at the same pace, it would be well over 180 million by year 2010. Out of total reported area of 59.47 million hectares, 4.04 million hectares (6.79%) are under forests, 24.32 million hectares (40.89%) are unculturable, 9.0 million hectares (15.13%) are culturable waste and 22.11 million hectares (37.18%) are cultivated. It is reported that 37.6 percent of gross command area is waterlogged, of which 15% is seriously waterlogged. The survey of salinity indicates 25% of gross command area is slightly to severely waterlogged. Arable land on one hand is becoming affected by water logging and salinity and on the other hand it is being intensively cropped. The water resources to meet domestic irrigation and industrial water supplies amount to about 142 million acre feet (MAF) per annum. Recent drought in the country ha