KP Agriculture Adviser Muhammad Umar announces new farmer-focused initiatives in Swabi, including an agriculture engineering office, easier farm loans, and strict action against fake fertilizers and substandard pesticides.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a series of major initiatives for farmers in Swabi, including the establishment of an Agriculture Engineering office and stricter enforcement against fake fertilizers and substandard pesticides.
Adviser to the Chief Minister on Agriculture, Muhammad Umar, made the announcements while chairing an open public forum at Turkai House in Swabi. Provincial Labour Minister Faisal Khan Tarkai, agriculture officials, elected representatives, and a large number of farmers attended the event.
Muhammad Umar said he was visiting districts on the instructions of Chief Minister Suhail Afridi to hear farmers’ concerns directly and ensure their prompt resolution. He warned that if fake fertilizers or low-quality pesticides are found in any district, strict action will be taken against the concerned district director. He also vowed zero tolerance for corruption within the Agriculture Department.
The adviser announced that a new Agriculture Engineering office would be established in Swabi to improve farmers’ access to agricultural machinery. He also revealed plans to expand the district’s soil testing laboratory, introduce easy-installment agricultural loans through the Bank of Khyber, launch a tube well program for low-income farmers, and promote tunnel and vertical farming.
He added that over 950,000 farmers have already been registered under the Food Security Support Project, while a call center is providing expert agricultural guidance. Muhammad Umar also said the Pehur High Level Canal Extension Project, costing nearly Rs3 billion, will irrigate around 4,000 acres of farmland in Swabi.
Labour Minister Faisal Khan Tarkai assured tobacco growers that the provincial government is committed to resolving their issues, noting that the tobacco cess has already been reduced and a separate open forum on irrigation problems will soon be held in Swabi.
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