In continuation of its CSR initiative to impart free farmers trainings, this quarter Khushhali Microfinance Bank (KMBL) organized a training session at Hasilpur in South Punjab on Thursday, 27 July 2017. The event was managed by KMBL Bahawalpur branch while Human Development Foundation extended support towards mobilization of the audience of the event.

The training was designed to identify the problems faced by small cotton farmers and the potential solutions. The province of Punjab contributes to over 70% of the country’s total cotton production, and Hasilpur is part of the cotton belt of Pakistan. The lecture was attended by over 300 local farmers. The enthusiastic response to the training shows that the locals are in need of more such opportunities.

The training session was conducted by Muhammad Malik Yousaf,  Director at Arid Zone Research Institute of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council in Bahawalpur, and Bashir Ahmed. The farmers participated actively in the session and interacted with the trainers. Majority of the training session was based on the technical issues pertaining to the cultivation of cotton.  In general, the trainer discussed the importance of cotton crop for Pakistan’s textile industry and its exports, the varieties of cotton grown in Pakistan along with the recent changes in the production technologies.

The talk also included discussion on issues pertaining to agriculture and their solutions; profitable practices for livestock farming; benefits and need of kitchen gardening; profitable cultivation of horticultural crops; and various ways to tackle the extreme shortage of water.

Bashir Ahmed, an expert on pesticides and fertilizers, talked in detail about the optimal use of fertilizers, zinc, boron and pesticides, and advised the farmers on how to avoid over-usage. The farmers had questions regarding the causes of low yield and the topic was covered in great detail to help the farmers understand the underlying causes and then take effective steps to resolve these issues. The measures for pest management and controls for weed infestation were also discussed.

KMBL hopes that the local farmers avail such opportunities to the maximum of their benefit and learn more about formal information centers that are available for their assistance.