19/05/2013
VISIT PAID BY BY MR. NAZAR HUSSAIN MAHAR EX-SECRETARY AGRICULTURE SINDH.
Horticulture Training Project to Support Flood Effected / Subsistence Farmers of Taluka Thari Mirwah, District Khairpur” This is a revolutionary project of Sindh Government that has been conceived purely with the objective of bringing about sustainable change in the lives of subsistence farmers of Thari Mirwah, one of the poorest tehsils in District Khairpur. Thari was selected because it had been severely hit by devastating rains of 2011. Project was conceived by September 2011 and it formally start in May 2012. In all 300 participants were selected through a carefully developed selection criteria. These participants were split into six groups of 50 each. Conscious efforts were made to have maximum women participation who constitute around half of the total strength. Participants of the project are taught how to grow good quality vegetables that could be marketed to high-end buyers locally and internationally. The idea is to move these small farmers away from basic cash crops and move them towards high value vegetable farming. The most distinguishing feature of the project has been the philosophy of supporting small farmers by not only imparting them practical skills but also to teach them how to use those skills to earn livelihood by developing businesses around the acquired skills. Finally these groups were formed into six cooperatives. Creation of cooperatives with the objective of converting them into vibrant business units is the biggest success of the project team which was achieved against popular belief that cooperatives can never function successfully in Pakistan. Innovative thinking is used to overcome cultural issues and to encourage participants to work as one team and focus on the collective benefit of the cooperative. Project consisted of classroom training and practical application of attained knowledge in the demonstration farms. Market linkages are established for these cooperatives so that they could be connected with top-end buyers both locally and internationally. Cooperatives have collectively leased a peace of Hundred Acres, where they have started the cultivation of Kharif’s vegetables. In order to encourage regular participation each participant is paid PKR 200 for each session he or she attends. Further, each cooperative has been provided with seed money equaling PKR 650,000 which is to be used for starting vegetable production and trade business. The project team consists of Mr. Riaz Ahmed Dayo Director Agriculture Extension Sukkur Division; FARMWELL (Pvt.) Limited an agriculture consultancy and management company working as project consultant. Additionally, four trainers from Khairpur Agriculture Extension Department namely, Khan Muhammad Ujjan, Azhar Veesar, Ishaq Brohi and Akhtar Jogi have been providing quality training and managing project on day to day basis.
