The Sindh government has decided to include measures in the upcoming new budget to address the impacts of climate change, provide subsidies on agricultural machinery, and introduce new agricultural projects that require less water.
In this regard, a meeting of the Agriculture Department was held at the Sindh Secretariat under the chairmanship of Sindh Agriculture Minister Sardar Muhammad Baksh Mahar. The meeting was attended by Agriculture Secretary Sohail Ahmed Qureshi, Additional Secretary Idrees Ahmed Khoso, Deputy Secretary Ahmed Ali Sheikh, DG Water Management Nadeem Shah, DG Research Dr. Mazhar Kario, DG Extension Munir Jumani, PD Dr. Liaquat ali Bhutto, and others. During the meeting, the Agriculture Secretary also briefed the provincial minister on new agricultural schemes to be included in the upcoming budget for the agriculture sector and other related matters.
Agriculture Minister Sardar Muhammad Baksh Mahar directed the Agriculture Secretary to prepare climate-resilient and water-efficient agricultural projects for inclusion in the upcoming budget. He stated that water-efficient agricultural projects are essential for future farming in the context of climate change. The agriculture sector is being directly affected by climate change and water scarcity. Sardar Muhammad Baksh Mahar further emphasized accelerating the online registration of Sindh’s farmers for the Benazir Hari Card so that more farmers in the province can benefit from it. So far, 15,000 farmers have been registered online, while 16,000 have been registered manually for the Benazir Hari Card across Sindh.
Sardar Muhammad Baksh Mahar also mentioned that the provincial government has ensured the provision of 772 drip irrigation systems for farmers cultivating 12,190 acres. Additionally, the Sindh government has provided kitchen garden kits to 24,191 female farmers, enabling them to sustain their households. Furthermore, 536 solar-powered tube wells have been provided to farmers at subsidized rates.
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