By Syed Wahaj Ahmed
Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Fateh Marri has said that Gulf countries are willing to invest in the agriculture sector. However, there could be many agricultural opportunities in Thar through arid agriculture, tunnel farming, kitchen gardening and hydroponic technologies.
He said that agriculture, which is providing employment opportunities to 54 per cent of people of the province, has plenty of scope for marketing of organic agricultural products in metropolitan cities, while many opportunities of employment will be created for agricultural education and local youth through this institution.
He said this while speaking during the tree plantation campaign under the theme “Green Umerkot, Green Sindh” hosted by SAU sub-campus and with the support of Sindh Government and other non-governmental organisations.
The VC said that Umerkot sub-campus would be a milestone for greening Thar, urban forest there and it might promote value chain programmes for local organic agricultural products.
Umerkot Deputy Commissioner Naveed Rehman Larik said that Umerkot is connected to canal and arid areas at the same time, there are both opportunities for researches in the agriculture sector of the province.
He stressed need for enthusiasm and eagerness for the Thari youth as the youth of this area will have to find and adopt modern methods of agriculture and new ways of development.
“We will establish an urban forest in Umerkot city with the support of sub- campus, while the district government will help provide clean water to the campus. Developing the agriculture sector will give a decent living which is necessary in this kind of region of Sindh,” he said.
Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC) of the Umerkot sub-campus Dr Jan Muhammad Marri said that the sub-campus has provided innumerable academic and research facilities to students in a short period of time.
On the top of that establishing modern scientific institutes in Umerkot and its suburbs could result in green businesses and boost economic opportunities for locals of this area, he said.
“Smart classes, information technology and travel facilities have been increased and gained a momentum in the sub-campus. Clean water and hostels facilities will help students get their education more comfortably and hone their skills,” he added
“We are cooperating with the SAU campus with a view to controlling a host of new challenges including the climate change, women development, seeds banking, nursery, international events, tree plantation, environment, tunnel farming, handicrafts and other activities,” Social leader Shivaram Sothar said.
Meanwhile, Umerkot and other adjacent districts including Tharparker, Mithi and Mirpurkhas which are famous for agricultural produce and livestock and they are successfully fulfilling rising demand of vegetables, grains and meat of the province. Local people of these districts depend on agriculture and livestock, while the mammoth flood following torrential rains in 2022 devastated their standing crops and livestock which took a heavy toll on the agricultural economy of the entire province.
Moreover, officials and dignitaries who were present consisted of Registrar Ghulam Mohiyuddin Qureshi, Dean Dr Altaf Siyal, Dean Dr Syed Ghiyasuddin Shah Rashidi, Dean Dr Manzoor Abro, Advisor to the Vice Chancellor Dr Ziaul Hassan Shah, Dr Muhammad Ismail Kambhar, Aijaz Ali Soomro, Dr Mir Sajjad Talpur, Dr Bachal Bhutto, Manzoor Ali Lakhair, Mir Hasan Arisar, Mohammad Mithal Lund, Zulfiqar Marri, Saleem Junejo, Lubna Khoso, Saima Bhutto, Yasir Marri and others.
