With the adoption of new agricultural techniques such like hydroponic, the country can enhance vegetables and fruit production upto 40 times and avoid water wastage manifold.

With the adoption of new agricultural techniques such like hydroponic, the country can enhance vegetables and fruit production upto 40 times and avoid water wastage manifold. It was echoed by agricultural experts at Demonstration of Raised-Bed Technology and Hydroponic System arranged by the Water Management Research Centre, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF). The event was presided over by UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar whereas Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi former vice chancellor Dr Rai Niaz Ahmad, Iraqi expert Engineer Shawkat Jameel from Agro Meteorological Program Agriculture Ministry Iraq; Japanese Expert Mitsuo Nishiya; UAF Department of Irrigation and Drainage Chairman Dr Muhammad Arsahd, Dr Muhammad Azam and other notables also spoke on the occasion. Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar showed his concern that Pakistan was ranked among those countries which were water scare. He said that at the time of inception of the country, per capita water availability was 5000 cubic meter which has not declined to 900 cubic meter. He added that it had become need of the hour to shun traditional farming and to promote high-efficient irrigation agriculture for a better tomorrow. He said that hydroponic would help the country increase the vegetable production manifold with low water usage. He said that in Australia, to avoid the water wastage, they had set up rain-water collector tank at their houses. He said that flood watering had become outdated and we have to take the measures to replace it with other ones. He said the modern irrigation techniques such like bed planting would help the country save water from 40 to 50 percent and increase agricultural productivity upto 25 percent. He said that it is need of the hour to educate the farmers about the modern irrigation techniques. Dr Rai Niaz Ahmad said that they were running the hydroponic demonstration project under Punjab Agriculture Department in different cities at farmers’ fields and governmental organization in Multan, Okara, Lahore, Attock, Chakwal, Murree, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Fateh Jang, Renala Khurd and others to promote the technology among the farmers. He said that tomato demand in the country is standing at 0.8 million tons compared to domestic Production 0.6 million tons so that the gap stands at 0.2 million tons. He said that with the usage of hydroponic, as many as 400 tons of tomato can be achieved from one acre. He said that the production under hydroponic is totally safe for health and meet the international standards so that we can earn even heavy foreign exchange by exporting it after meeting our demand. He said that by traditional way of farming, the agricultural produces is unsafe for health due to excessive pesticides and other factors. Talking about raised-bed technique, he said that it will save water from 40 to 50 percent and yield increase by 25 percent. It will increase fertilizer use efficiency, less weeds, less lodging, good crop response in saline soils and with saline water and inter-cropping of sugarcane in wheat. He said that with the passage of time, per capita water availability was decreasing.