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A number of institutions in Pakistan are engaged in conduction research and development in the

Agricultural sector. These include private sector such as seed, fertilizer and pesticide companies such as

Ali Akbar Group and Engro Chemicals as well as public sector ones such as universities and specialized

research institutions. The latter includes notable ones such as the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council

(PARC), Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI), Ayub Agricultural Institute, and Universities of

Agriculture as well agriculture related departments such as that in Punjab University.

The Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB) in Faisalabad has been actively engaged in

conducting research on pertinent issues dealing with various applications in agriculture. The scientists at

NIAB have used nuclear related techniques such as ionization with different forms of radiation such as

gamma and Cobalt-60 as well as radioisotopes to develop genetic material to be incorporated in seeds.

As a result, these seeds have been infused with superior traits such as high yield and resilience to

adverse environmental conditions such as salinity as well to pests and diseases.

A major contribution by NIAB has been for the cotton crop, such as by creating two seed varieties NIAB-

846 and NIAB-777 through pollen irradiation methods and approved for cultivation in 2008 and 2009

respectively. Both these seed varieties incorporate traits such as high yield and heat tolerance, with

NIAB-777 also being suitable for high density planting. They are better resistant to the newer Burewala

strain of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV). The CLCV is transmitted by a virus transmitted by the whitefly

and was first identified by the Central Cotton Research Institute in Multan. The latest strain of CLCV,

being termed after the region of Burewala where it was detected, has wreaked havoc upon the cotton

crop season after season since 2001.

PARC, the government ordained body has been conducting agricultural research in various parts of the

country for almost three decades now. One of innovative roles that it has played has been in devising

various methods of irrigation that are geared towards water conservation. One of its research institutes,

the National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) carried out irrigation related experiments the 80s in

many ecologically diverse areas across the country. Although low-tech in nature, the raingun water

sprinklers utilizing various PVC pipe structures, valves, water pumps driven by diesel, electric and tractor

power-take-off attachment have been adopted in many Barani(arid) regions such as Bahawalpur,

Muzzafargarh for the stabilization of sand dunes, whereby making it possible to grow both fruit and field

crops.

Similar sprinkler methods have also been demonstrated by the Pakistan Council of Research in water

resources (PCRWR) to make possible the growing or rice with far less amount of water than is

conventionally used. Their studies and trials have revealed that rice, which is grown approximately on an

area of 6 million acres over the country, if irrigated with a sprinkler based irrigation system would

consume 65% less water. This translates an overall saving of 15 million acre-feet worth of water,

whereby also hedging against the acute problems of water-logging and salinity.

The National Sugar Crops Research Institute located Thatta developed a sugarcane variety that is able to

yield 30% more cane yield and has a 20% boost in sugar content. Named Thatta-10, the variety would

prove to more beneficial if planted in the autumn sugarcane growing season, i.e. during September, as it

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would provide 10-25% greater yield. Further research in its cultivation determined its ideal plantation in

furrows being 1.25 meters apart and the budded sets to be placed in them using the overlapping

method, topped off with 2-3 inches of soil.

The scientists at NARC have also developed several hybrid varieties of major food and cash crops such as

maize, sorghum and millet. The maize varieties ofGauherand Kashmir Gold have been created totargeted Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir regions and with a 95 day maturity period, give

yields of 5-6 tons per hectare. The Sorghum varietyJoharand the Millet one ofBajra Super-1 are

suitable for all rain-fed areas of Pakistan and AJK and after a 3-4 months maturity period yield in the

range of 6-8 tons per hectare.

With our local agricultural scientists and researchers being quite a capable lot, its a no-brainer that if

MINFAL (Ministry of Food, Livestock and Agriculture) should make it a priority to use locally developed

seeds and related agricultural products and techniques. A substantial amount of taxpayer money and

external debt would be averted from being used to import costly agricultural inputs and striking pricey

deals with foreign seed corporations, not to mention the kickbacks.