RAWALPINDI, (MILLAT ONLINE/APP): Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University
Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) is imparting hydroponic agriculture (soilless farming) training to farmers said Vice Chancellor (VC) PMAS-AAUR Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmed.
Addressing the participants of third training workshop organized here
under the project titled, “Testing Indigenous Hydroponic Greenhouse for Vegetable Growing” funded by Agriculture Department, Punjab he informed that five more workshops would be held in next two years to train 200 farmers on hydroponic farming so that they could be able to make experiments in their native areas besides imparting training to others.
The 15-day workshop is being attended by deans, directors, faculty
members and farmers. The farmers and in-service personnel from different locations and socio-economic backgrounds have been selected and being trained as Master Trainers of Hydroponic Agriculture. The training would focus on greenhouse erection, crop sowing, crop management and harvesting of fruits.
The VC said first indigenous hydroponics system was developed and tested
at PMAS-AAUR in 2014-2015 after which indigenous Hydroponic replicas were developed with different cladding systems.
Now, this Indigenous hydroponic system is also serving as capacity
building center to facilitate research activities in field of hydroponics, he added.
The VC said for making the hydroponic technology sustainable in the
country PMAS-AAUR has established a full-fledge Institute of Hydroponic Agriculture (IHA) catering to the needs of training, R&D, indigenization of equipment and spares.
He also informed the gathering that this institute would help arrange
training programs for the farmers, students and in-service staff to increase and diversify fruits and vegetables production technology adding, it will also prepare models for hydroponic vegetables for kitchen gardening.
Keeping in view the entire scenario, PMAS-AAUR is establishing 12
Indigenous Hydroponic Units under the project. The project comprises establishment of six hydroponic greenhouses at different institutions aimed at Training of Trainers (ToT) while six greenhouses at farmers’ premises in various districts of Punjab focusing on “Seeing is Believing” for the extension of this technology.