ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) enhanced the operational and production capacity of silage bailing and wrapping plant to cater to the increasing demand for animal fodder by the farmers.
“After the expansion of the plant, it is now expected that more farmers would take benefit of this facility and get hygienic fodder for their animals,” Chairman PARC Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad said after inaugurating the expanded-plant at National Agricultural Research Council here Thursday.
He urged the scientists to expand this technology to all across the country to enable farmers get hygienic and healthy fodder for their animals which will help healthy dairy produce.
He said that the efforts of PARC were now being highlighted in high circles due to the efforts of the scientists as they have been vigorously working to train the farmers and provide them with latest technology to enhance their crop production.
He said that it was appreciating that the technology was now coming out from the research centers and reaching to farmers, who actually have to use it for agriculture development.
Speaking on the occasion, Member PARC Animal Sciences, Dr Shahid Rafique lauded the efforts of Livestock Research Station (LRS) for introducing the fodder technology which he said would play a vital role in ensuring good animal health.
He urged the scientists to transfer this technology to the farmers so that they may be able to produce the animal fodder at their own.
On the occasion, Director LRS, Dr. Amanullah Cheema said that the silage baling and wrapping technology would be spread all across the country. He said that LRS would install more such machines at National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) to cater to increasing fodder demands.
It is pertinent to mention here that the livestock contributes approximately 55.4 percent to the agricultural value added and 11.9 percent to national GDP and about 36 million people of rural population are involved directly or indirectly in livestock sector.
Among others, Former Chairman PARC, Dr. Muhammad Afzal, PARC Member Natural Resource Division, Dr. Nadeem Amjad, Member Finance, Mr. Zafar Hassan Reza and other senior scientists and officials of the organization were also present on the occasion.