ISLAMABAD: Ministry of National Food Security and Research in collaboration with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched a four years project of technology transfer for the development agriculture and livestock sectors of the country.
The program titled “Pakistan Agricultural Technology Transfer Activity”, is aiming at to enhance local agriculture and livestock production by increasing the farm out with the adaptation and introduction of innovative technologies of cultivation, irrigation, livestock breeding and marketing, said an official in the ministry.
Talking to APP, he said that about 30 largest private sector agriculture technology companies have been engaged to exploit the existing potential of local agriculture and livestock potential by technology transfer to small and medium farmers.
The other aims of the initiative was to help the local farming community in reducing their costs of inputs and increase their productivity to enhance the farm income for poverty alleviation and prosperity of small scale growers, he added.
He said that initially, the project would benefit about 122,500  farmers across the country and their out sales were projected to reach at US$ 8.58 million during the first phase of the initiative, adding that the program would have multiple effects on the local agriculture sector.
The project, he said will help local farmers to realize the full potential of their land and labor with the adoption of innovative technologies, besides it would also help to connect farmers to each other, new techniques, timely weather data and the supply chain network, he remarked.
He further informed that the activity would also enhances productivity, builds resilience to climate change and reduces post-harvest losses and maximize the farmers income, he added
The program will be introduce to the horticulture industry include integrated pest management controlled production, improved plant genetics and post – harvest handling and packaging.
The livestock and dairy sectors will benefit from nutrition and breed improvement, including artificial insemination and embryo transplants that will offer rapid improvement in livestock genetics, he added.

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