PARC provides over 300 mounds pulses seeds to farmers of Tharparker.

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) in collaboration with local

non- governmental organisations had distributed about 300 mounds seeds of different pulses to farmers of Tharparkar for promoting agriculture sector of the desert areas.

The initiative was aimed at encouraging pulses farming in these areas to address malnutrition and provide livelihood opportunities to the people.

"We had formed different beans cluster for multiplication of seeds in order to attain self sufficiency in pulses seeds and fulfill the dietary needs of these areas", said Dr Azeem Ahmad Khan Chairman PARC.

Talking to reporter, he said they were providing about 200 to 300 mounds seeds every year to promote beans production in these areas for fulfilling the local consummation.

"We had also provided about 50-60 mounds of moong pulses and

other seeds of staple food that would help strengthen government efforts to overcome

the issues related to malnutrition", he added.

He said other pulses matching with the environment of desert areas were also provided to them as it required less resources and gave better output.

Meanwhile, a bio fertilizer plant has also been installed in Tharparkar to manufacture bio-fertilizer converting locust crisis into opportunity start through developing its

bio-compost through community mobilization.

The locust-based fertilizer would have added advantage of more N (9%) and P (7%), he said adding that initially locust would be unruffled...