Performance of NARC/PARC

[zash]

When we look at the figures (agriculture technology), everything is almost done, ironically when we ask the end users (growers) they know nothing let alone be practiced.

There is a huge gap in between knowledge where it is generated and its promotion & extension and its application. Pakistan has so many agri graduates, post graduates & p.hDs and everyone wants white collar job but Pakistan lacks those guys who don't need oxford shirt & tie to sit in the offices as the officers but Pakistan badly needs those guys who works better in rought Jeans & jogger, to my understanding this worker class is missing somwhere (technical staff). In Sindh, Sakrand has this facility but sorry to say not of that standard for which we are talking about.

Currently, when growers approaches to the PARC & NARC agri scintists for the suggestions & recommendations of very minor nature. Growers are only asking most of the time for Pesticides & its doses, hardly for farm machinery and sometimes for seeds only. We have to compete with the world & our agriculture starts at Urea & end up at DAP, what a pity!

I always asked to the growers what was the sugarcane or anyother crop yield some 10 yrs ago, they always said it was 2000+ mds/acre but now it is hardly 500 mds/acre. What is the reason behind it (let me tell u for those who may ask about the shortage of irrigation water, no sir, i m quoiting where irriation water shortages never happens)

On first part our growers need to be educated on all the parameter of agriculture farming so that when they contact the scientist they have better idea what to be discussed. For that I suggest there must be "Farm Management Course" initiated whether in the PARC/NARC or in all the Agri Universities of Pakistan, this will be of great help.

Resource mining need to be minimized they are on the decline. immediately we need to generate a sustainable system otherwise who knows at what extent we'll be surviing on just mere figures.

[hamarapakistan]

PARC, NARC have remarkable role in the development of agriculture sector. In fact NARC is supervisory body too,it approved my many developed varieties of different crops.Recently a University is also established in NARC.There is a need to communicate & spread research work of NARC to common growers . Unfortunately NARC has no extension wing except TTI.It has prepared production technologies of many crops in audio-visual from. Furthermore it is the responsibility of Extension department of concerned Province to teach modern techniques of crop production .

[zash]

No doubt NARC has significant role in developing innovative technology, but what i want to point out is that this sort of technology is not effectively transfered at the level of end user (grower). We must strengthen our extension system, whisc is currently supposed to be world's poorest agriculture extension system. And there is dire need of developing agriculture purely on modern lines as a business.

[zash]

We know what PARC is doing and what its performance is.
Can we have a visit to PARC stations in the country and see the performance.
If PARC have perform and achieve then why
a. We have to import Sugar
b. We have to import Lentils and our lentil production is going down.
c. We have to import vegetables time to time though we are exporting also.
d. Why our production cost is high and we can not compete with others.
e. Why our farmer giving up raising live stock at their home.
f. What sort of meat breed PARC has introduce to the people which is suitable for meat Export and can contribute economy.
g. What contribution and development PARC made in the meat sector and other agriculture sector. They got lot of money on research.
h. Why our land is becoming barren / saline / water logged and what sort of solution PARC offer.
I. why in our country nearly 1 million baby calf slaughter every year. what is PARC contribution in this sector. ???? loss of approx 150 million kg of meat if export bring in revenue around 600million Rs.
I am regular visitor of PARC stations and i know except few station several are idle not doing anything and no support to farmer.
If govt give us the same fund which they give to PARC we can set up Incubation center and will show to Govt how we serve the country.
Can any body question these organization they are run by the tax payer money.

PARC should emphasis on research rather than making trading companies for promoting their technologies. This job should be given to the Agriculture extension department. They will pormote new ideas or technoligies they have developed.
From my point of view the government should strengthen agriculture extension for promoting new technologies.