PARC-Thar Foundation in joint efforts to combat drought in Thar
Both organisations signed a MoU to grow plants, reduce salinity and develop commercial value chains.
(Web Desk) – The Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) has signed an agreement with the Thar Foundation to grow cash crops, fruit trees, modified seeds and fodder through efficient and innovative irrigation systems in the arid zone of the country.
Both organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday with an aim to grow plants through hydroponics, reducing salinity and developing a multi-directional commercial value chains involving livestock.
This will facilitate farmers with self-sufficiency and enhancement of nutritional capacity within Thar Coal Block-II.
Furthermore, it is expected that the partners will also undertake an analysis and pre-emptive remediation of land degradation due to saline water in Thar Block II.
In addition, the PARC will also provide on-ground supervisors for bio-saline projects which have been initiated by the Thar Foundation.
This association will entail visits by senior research scientists from the PARC for survey of projects, advisory on how to move forward, plantation of new species and other technical matters.
Moreover, the agreement will combine efforts to evaluate feasibility and sustainability of installing domestic biogas units modeled on the utilization of animal waste as fuel and fertilizer.
For the execution of this pilot project, the Thar foundation has provided 20 acres of land along with the required resources including water and seeds procurement/saplings.
