The government has initiated a comprehensive programme to protect the province’s agriculture sector from the impacts of climate change while enhancing per-acre crop yields. Provincial Agriculture Minister Sardar Muhammad Bux Mahar said the initiative would not only increase farmers’ income but also strengthen food security across Sindh.
Under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Plan, the Sindh Agriculture Department has launched the Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation (SWAT) programme, through which farmers are being trained in modern farming methods. These include crop yield enhancement, improving plant growth and branching, pest control, and cultivation with reduced water usage.
The minister said the five-year project will continue until 2028, during which 180 field schools will be established to train around 4,500 farmers. In the first phase, 750 farmers are receiving training this year.
To demonstrate practical techniques, the department has already set up 30 demo plots and field schools in Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, and Badin. On these plots, methods such as laser land leveling, row planting of wheat, and balanced fertilizer use are being practiced. In Badin’s Khorwah Minor, wheat was cultivated using the zero-tillage method, where moisture retained after the rice crop was utilized – saving costs, water, and labour, while also benefiting the environment.
