Islamabad, 8 February 2022 (TDI): Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Senator Shibli Faraz inaugurated the ‘Precision Hydroponic Green House’ under the banner of import substitution initiative, an announcement was made on the official Twitter account of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Pakistan.
Making import substitution a reality under Senator @shiblifaraz @MinistryofST. Starting off with our ginger cultivation initiative: pic.twitter.com/Itt354CDcd
— Ministry of Science & Technology (@MinistryofST) February 8, 2022
The statement appeared today. According to official photographs on the Ministry’s account, the exact inauguration of the Precision Hydroponic Green House took place on February 5.
This is a team effort under the supervision and guidance of the Federal Minister for Science and Technology that the initiative has finally started off.
Ginger Cultivation
Under this initiative, ginger will be cultivated in the greenhouse. Hydroponics method of farming will be used. This is the first supply chain for disease-free and climate-adapted ginger seeds in Pakistan.
This is basically an import substitution initiative. It means that the purpose and objective of the project are to reduce the burden on the economy by decreasing imports. According to the data of the year 2017, Pakistan imported around $71 million worth of ginger per year.
There are numerous other benefits and aims of the project as well. The idea is to overcome the rising trade deficit and combat economic challenges. Furthermore, local cultivation will help achieve self-reliance.
It is pertinent to mention that ginger has numerous medicinal benefits as well. The same idea is present in the hadiths (sayings) of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The aim is to capitalize on its benefits.
This will further help in combating prevalent malnutrition among the masses of the country. Moreover, additional aims include the achievement of self-sustainable ginger production and cultivation.
Not only that but this initiative will work as a means of transferring technology to the farmers. Finally, the increased preference of masses towards ginger consumption can also not be sidelined, as to why Pakistan needs such initiative.
In later times the surplus might be enough that the country might start exporting organic ginger, benefitting the masses across the globe.
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