A  ten days training workshop on Water Resource Management for Baluchistan Farmers commenced at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR), on December 22, 2014, with an aim to help convert barren lands in Baluchistan into productive units through interventions involving new techniques of irrigation.

PMAS-AAUR, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad was the chief guest at the inaugural session of the workshop. Ten-day training workshop regarding Water Resource Management for 38 Baluchistan participants including male & female staff of Agriculture department, FAO & farmers is a fourth of its kind in the PMAS-AAUR and being organized in collaboration with FAO and Australian Assistance to Agriculture in Balochistan Border Areas (AusAABBA). The training included lectures, practical sessions and field exposure visits conducted by agriculture experts from PMAS-AAUR and FAO. This training would also help to improve the livelihood and income generation capacity of small growers of the province.

PMAS-AAUR, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, , in his address, stressed the need to adopt modern techniques for irrigation purposes with concept of more crop per drop and preserve water so as to get maximum benefits from the available water resources. He said that it is time to create awareness among the people and farmers about the water scarcity and need oriented utility of water resources. He suggested that we should collectively work to overcome the water issue. He also stressed to promote water management system and urged the participants to overcome the sacristy of water. He stressed the need for enhancing spending on agriculture and food research and dissemination of new knowledge and technologies to farmers to help boost agriculture produce. While talking about the training course he said that it will help to strengthen the Baluchistan’s farmer’s technical capacity in on-farm water management and enhance sustainable agriculture productivity. He urged the scientists of University to work hard to fight with the challenges of water availability and food security.

 Earlier, team leader and National Expert Water Resource Management, FAO   Malik Aijaz Hussain Awan gave a brief introduction about the FAO & Australian Aid Agriculture Project and hoped that this training will be helpful for the participants. He thanked the worthy Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad & his faculty for close collaboration with FAO for arranging this type of workshop for Baluchistan participants.