Faisalabad (TDI): The United States Ambassador to Islamabad Donald Bloome on Monday launched a US-funded Climate Smart Agriculture Activity at an event at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
Addressing the launch ceremony, Mr Bloome said that under the programme, the US will partner with farmer organizations, local businesses, and research institutions to improve agricultural practices in the country
“We will focus on better farming practices and technology; new digital tools; and assistance with business models, financing, and international connections,” he said in his remarks.
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The Ambassador said that these programs will improve crop yield while helping the environment – and putting more money in farmers’ pockets. “Together, we’re planting the seeds of success,” he added.
In the first step, the US will provide ‘cutting-edge’ technology to Pakistani farmers to improve productivity.
“We will work with farmers to introduce modern machinery that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the planting process,” he said.
The US will also introduce an automated irrigation system for effective usage of water to deal with water scarcity.
“We will also make new technology available for crop monitoring, farm management, and weather forecasting. All of this translates into more productive crops,” he added.
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In the next step, the Ambassador said, the US government will help farmers to bring their products to markets and increase profits.
The US envoy maintained that the farmers will be trained about financial services to help them buy better seeds, tools, and machinery.
“We will also provide instruction in marketing to make sure Pakistani farmers are getting the best price possible. We will also help farmers find the right buyers by connecting them directly with businesses, cooperatives, and online platforms,” he added.
This way, the farmers will be able to bypass the middleman and sell their crops directly in the market at better rates, he concluded.
