Sierra Leone: Agriculture & Poverty Alleviation in Sierra Leone (1)

 PA BAIMBA SESAY

Formation of policies is paramount to the success of a given government's programme. In a 2006 "Agriculture Sector Review" conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture in Bangladesh, there was this crucial aspect of poverty alleviation through agricultural development, which they said was "the fundamental goal we seek to realize through efficient and equitable service delivery to the farmers. To be specific, we are interested in that aspect of governance that deals with the formulation of policies relating to various services to the farmers and their successful implementation at the local level." (Read: Volume IV of "Agriculture Governance In Bangladesh: A Survey Of Six Thanas"). Successive policy formulation will ensure a successful implementation of a given programme.

Asia's continuous growth is phenomenal and it is believed that the "reduction in the incidence of rural poverty in Asia and the Pacific, though slow, was brought about through a combination of factors: (a) the slowing down of population growth, agricultural and overall economic growth which resulted in a rise in wages and employment; and (b) improvement in the levels of social development..." (See: Agro-chemicals News in Brief Special Issue, November 1999)

Sierra Leone has been making progress in a number of areas. The agriculture sector is one among several sectors through which the country has been progressing. As a matter of fact, agriculture is the bedrock of a nation's growth and development. President Ernest Bai Koroma, during his 2009 Independence Day Speech, stated that his "government's Agenda for Change draws its strength from this ability of Sierra Leoneans to effect change...." and this change was not just limited to the aspect of state governance and the development in the country's infrastructural sector, or the energy aspect, or the health care of people, but also in agriculture. So, by 2010, during the 'Business Bomba Competition Final', President Koroma called on Sierra Leoneans to "raise production, productivity, and competitiveness in agriculture because it touches the lives of so many Sierra Leoneans". Since then, the country has continued to make significant progress in the agriculture sector.

Statistics and facts as said by the IMF Country Report No. 11/95 - July 2011 show that, "Another key poverty reducing strategy the government was pursuing is the Smallholder Commercialisation Scheme within the framework of the National Sustainable Agricultural Development Programme and the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme." The report referred to also indicates that, "As most of the poor were farmers, mainly engaged in small farming operations, it was critical that the Government singled out this programme within the agricultural sector" and that "cocoa exports continued to grow strongly, as they have done for a number of years, reaching US$37.1 million in 2010. This likely reflects a combination of growth in production capacity as well as an increase in prices on international markets. A range of other exports that are not recorded separately also increased sharply in 2010 from a total of US$20.0 million in 2009 to US$ 78.2 million in 2010."

Coming to terms with realities in Sierra Leone by 2007, it was apparent at the time that agriculture was in a state that required immediate attention. Forget not the fact that Sierra Leone - a country where agriculture contributes over 45% of our GDP - employs over two-thirds of the population and generates about a quarter of the export income. Budgetary allocation to the sector, as of 2007, was at a paltry 1.6%; and the effect, which was adverse, was that agricultural productivity was very low and farming was basically for subsistence. President Kabba(h) created some kind of illogical situation for the country's food security, especially given his push on the Ministry and the pledge he made on 19th May, 2002 "...to work even harder to ensure that by 2007 no Sierra Leonean goes to bed hungry." There was as a result a food security unit that came up in the ministry but the least one writes about the said unit, the better. To say it made mockery of President Kabba(h)'s promise will definitely be an understatement.

The intervention of the current government in Sierra Leone, led by President Ernest Bai Koroma, has been exceptionally encouraging, insofar as the agriculture sector could go. It is in line with a view of making the sector the engine for socio-economic growth and development through commercial agriculture and the promotion of the private sector that we have today seen an increase in the number of farmers and their farmer-based organizations (FBOs). This mainly corroborates what was pleasantly captured in a speech made by President Koroma when he said: "Our goal is for us to move away from subsistence to commercial agriculture, agro-processing, adding value to our agricultural products and realizing maximum benefit from the richness of our soil." (Address to the Chamber of Commerce, 2009)

Attempts aimed at discussing the achievements in the agriculture sector should take into account the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on agriculture, chaired by the President himself with membership including the Vice President, relevant Ministers, and the donor community, among others. It has been providing policy guidance and supervision over the sector. As a result of the effective leadership that the government, through the Agriculture Ministry, has been providing within the last five years, we realized that there continues to be achievements and accomplishments within the agriculture sector that should be brought to the public domain.

By 2008 we witnessed, as a country, the launching of the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) in fulfillment of the SLARI Act of 2007. SLARI has a vision of "Increasing food security and wealth by contributing to sustainable agricultural growth and effective agricultural research system." With a mission statement of "supporting agricultural growth through increasing productivity by the generation and promotion of innovative technology and the empowerment of stakeholders", it is expected to in turn, being achieved through the delivery of: appropriate technologies, improved policy and advocacy, increased capacity amongst stakeholders, stronger and better coordination and collaboration between SLARI and partners, better dissemination of information - (http://www.erails.net/SL/slari/slari).

Between 2007 and 2010, government also increased budgetary allocation to the sector from a paltry 1.6% in 2007 to 7.7% in 2009 and stood at close to 10% in 2010. And since the President and the Minister of Agriculture have been appointed Champion Head of State and Minister of Agriculture in Africa, respectively (http://thenewdailynation.com/?p=1236) we saw how the quality and value of our agricultural export commodities continue to increase, especially so for cocoa where exports US$2.2m in 2006, to US$4.5m in 2007 and to US$9.5m in 2008. Six projects were developed for the creation of a Network of Protected Areas covering 468,000 hectares, in fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Government also ensured the prioritization of the Smallholder Commercialization Programme (SCP). The SCP today supports the Smallholder Farmers to move from subsistence to commercial farming - "farm for business" - and to connect them to markets.

Sierra Leone has also witnessed the rehabilitation and development of a total of 2,500 hectares of inland valley swamps to enable the cultivation of food crops and vegetables at least two times a year. This is in line with the view that inland valley and mangrove swamps are the most productive of our cultivatable land area in Sierra Leone. And in wanting farmers access financial services across the country, there has been the construction of as number of additional Financial Services Associations (FSAs or Village Banks) in the Eastern Districts of Kenema, Kailahun and Kono. In an effort to link farmers to the markets, the Agriculture Ministry has supported the rehabilitation of over 1,000km of feeder roads country-wide, which were mostly implemented through the District Councils. I recently wrote about social infrastructure and how the local councils have been very instrumental in this direction. Mechanization programme has also been introduced in a bid to boost productivity.

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Monsoon situation: growers advised to take precautionary measures

The Met Office on Monday advised the growers to take timely necessary measures to protect their crops and livestock while keeping in view the continued monsoon situation in the country. The office in its 10-advisory also urged the farmers of Cotton Belt to irrigate their crop as per requirement as rainy weather is likely to prevail on the belt after September 5.

Farmers are advised to stop irrigation of maize crop in the upper half areas, including the agricultural plains of Punjab and Khyber Pakhunkhwa as rain has been forecast. It said that during the hot and humid weather, farmers of the Cotton Belt are asked to take precautionary measures to safeguard their crop from pest attacks within the next 10 days.

Recent rains may accelerate the growth of weeds in standing crops, therefore farmers should take precautionary measures to destroy the unnecessary plants from their fields through manual methods or by spraying herbicides. The weather in Punjab is expected to trigger scattered rain/thundershower with isolated heavy falls over upper Punjab (Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala and Sargodha divisions) during the first five days of September.

While, the office said, widespread rain/thundershower with isolated heavy to very heavy falls over Punjab including Islamabad are expected from September 6. Khyber Pakhunkhwa is expected to receive scattered rain/thundershower with isolated heavy falls in its divisions including Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar and Kohat in the first five days of September. The province is also forecast to receive widespread rain/thundershowers with isolated heavy falls expected after September 5, the office said.

Weather in Sindh is mainly expected to remain hot and humid in most parts during the first five days of the month. However, the office forecast, widespread rain/thundershower with isolated heavy falls in the province after September 5. Balochistan is forecast to have largely hot and dry weather in most parts during the first five days of September the office said scattered rain/thundershower with isolated heavy falls is likely to hit the eastern parts of the province after September 5.

Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir are expected to receive scattered rain/thundershower with isolated heavy falls in the first five days of the month. The office said widespread rain/thundershower with isolated heavy to very heavy fall is expected over Kashmir after September 5. Mainly dry weather is expected in Gilgit-Baltistan during the first five days of the month. While, it said scattered rain/thunderstorms are expected in the Gilgit-Baltistan region after September 5. 

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Agricultural event attempts to tackle most dangerous industry in UK

A series of safety demonstrations are due to be staged at this years Livestock 2012 which opens today.

This new initiative comes following statistics showing that on average one farmer dies through injuries sustained at work each week in the UK.

Fatal accidents are 12 times more likely in agriculture than other industries, this figure remains consistent.

Livestock 2012 is a leading agricultural event, running on the 4th and 5th September this year attracting 16,000 people.

One farmer who knows the importance of safety is James Chapman, he lost his arm in 2005 when he was working on a friend's farming machinery.

Farmer James Chapman lost his arm in a farming accident in 2005. Credit: Farmers Weekly

I had my accident on January 21st 2005, I was working on some machinery for a friend, looking back it wasn’t as safe as it could have been. The rotating blades caught my clothing and my arm was taken around the machine and flipped me over the other side, when officials came out they said I was lucky as this type of accident is usually fatal.

– JAMES CHAPMAN

Agriculture is the most dangerous industry in this country. While the sector contains as few as 1.5% of the working population, it features 20% of people killed at work.

The reasons for this include more farmers having to work alone, they are using more powerful machinery and the work force is ageing.

Five live demonstrations will be showcasing at Livestock 2012, with the latest techniques to reduce accidents which focus on workplace transport responsible for the highest number of farming deaths including fork lift trucks, tractors as well as livestock related incidents.

James Chapman who was once Chairman of National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs says something has to be done:

"Every other industry has had something done to make it safer, the building industry was very unsafe ten years ago but they have done something about it, the thing is it’s very difficult to tell a farmer what to do on his own land, they don’t see it as a job but as a way of life, so it is hard to change their mind set."

– JAMES CHAPMAN

Mr Chapman says he understands it is difficult for farmers to do everything by the 'health and safety manual' but he hopes that attitudes will change and save lives after the demonstrations at Livestock 2012:

"I hope that Livestock 2012 will make a difference to the number of farmers injured or killed each year, something has to change, the ethos of most farmers is ‘it won’t happen to me’, my message would be even if you can’t do everything by the book ‘take your time, stand back and think before you do anything on a machine."

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Palm oil edges up on exports, Bernanke remarks

 Malaysian crude palm oil futures rose on Monday, following strong exports last month and after US Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke kept the door open for further stimulus that could prop up global growth and support commodity demand. Palm oil exports posted a gain of 18 percent in August from a month ago to the highest level this year, cargo surveyor Intertek Testing Services said on Friday, in part boosted by the edible oil's huge discount to competing soyoil.

"Exports were very good, the market is going for a temporary upward trend," said a trader with a foreign commodities brokerage in Malaysia. "Bear in mind that soyoil is still trading at a premium over palm oil of $285. All these factors are a plus for palm oil."

The benchmark November 2012 contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange rose 1.8 percent to close at 3,073 ringgit ($985) per tonne. Futures posted a loss of 1.6 percent last week, snapping two straight weeks of gains.

Total traded volume stood at 31,968 lots of 25 tonnes each, higher than the usual 25,000 lots. Technicals look bearish as palm oil is expected to end its current rebound in a resistance zone of 3,050 to 3,067 ringgit, followed by a drop towards 2,978 ringgit, said Reuters analyst Wang Tao.

But market sentiment remained positive on healthy export demand for palm oil and after the minutes of the last meeting of Fed policymakers suggested the central bank was leaning towards further stimulus to boost the economy. Exports surged to 1.45 million tonnes in August, bolstered by higher shipments of crude products and a demand recovery in major food buyers China and India. Another cargo surveyor, Societe Generale de Surveillance, will delay issuing August exports data to Tuesday.

Crude oil was almost flat on Monday after Chinese data showed a deepening slowdown in the world's biggest energy consumer, but prices were supported by hopes of global stimulus measures as central banks try to revive economic growth. In other vegetable oil markets, the most active January 2013 soyoil contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange ended 2.4 percent higher after hitting a contract-high. The US soybean futures markets were closed for the Labour Day holiday. 

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Russian grain export prices to rise further

 Russia's grain export prices are expected to rise further this week after Egypt, the world's biggest wheat importer, bought 240,000 tonnes of Russian wheat this weekend. Egypt's General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) agreed to buy Russian wheat from Venus, Glencore and Soyuz during its fourth international wheat purchase since the July 1 start of the 2012/13 fiscal year.

"Last Saturday' GASC tender confirmed the fact that Russian wheat remains the most competitive... (Russian) grain prices may strengthen slightly this week," Dmitry Rylko, the head of the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR), said in a note. The GASC purchased wheat for $321-323 per tonne on free-on-board (FOB) basis, while Russia's FOB level for 12.5-percent wheat stood lower at $313-315 per tonne last week, IKAR said. SovEcon agriculture analysts pegged Black Sea FOB wheat prices at $315-325 per tonne last week, up from $310-315 per tonne.

GASC is seeking to secure supplies amid rising concerns about weather-shortened crops in key exporting nations, particularly drought-hit Russia, Egypt's top supplier. Russia's government is trying to cope with a drought which has slashed grain yields by more than a quarter.

Officials are promising no grain export limits, yet industry experts believe they could occur as soon as October. Egypt bought Russian wheat for October 11-20 shipment. Global wheat prices fell more than 1 percent on Friday in reaction to month-end fund positioning, profit taking, and bearish news that Russia will not limit its grain exports.

Wheat gained half a percent for the week but was down nearly 2 percent for August. Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grain futures markets will be closed on Monday, the US Labour Day Holiday. Prices for the new corn (maize) were quoted at 8,600 roubles per tonne on a carriage-paid-to (CPT) basis in shallow-water ports, IKAR added. SovEcon quoted corn prices in North Caucasus at 8,750 roubles per tonne on EXW (ex-silo) basis.

The average Russian prices for fourth-grade milling wheat in deep-water ports were stable last week at 9,600-9,800 roubles per tonne on a CPT basis. Prices in shallow-water ports reached 9,000-9,100 roubles per tonne, up from 8,800-9,000, according to SovEcon.

Russia's average domestic EXW prices for third-grade milling wheat were unchanged at 8,300 roubles ($260) per tonne. Fourth-grade prices were unchanged at 8,275 roubles. Price growth in the drought-damaged Urals and Siberia continued last week, SovEcon added. Wheat prices there rose by 100-300 roubles per tonne last week.
Temperatures will be higher than usual in Russia during September, Russia's state forecaster said on Monday, putting pressure on the autumn crop. All key grain regions including the Urals and Siberia will see temperatures above normal levels.

Russia's Agriculture Ministry cut the 2012 grain harvest forecast to 70 million-75 million tonnes last week from its previous estimate of 75 million. Russia consumes approximately 70 million tonnes per year. For sunseeds, the price index for the new harvest rose by 500 roubles to 16,000 roubles per tonne or to $495 per tonne from $489 per tonne, according to IKAR. SovEcon pegged it at 15,850 roubles per tonne on an EXW basis.

The crude sunoil price index was unchanged at 39,000 roubles per tonne. In dollar terms it fell $23 to $1,208 per tonne. SovEcon said that domestic prices fell by 1,075 roubles to 42,175 roubles per tonne, while the FOB Black Sea export price rose to $1,220-1,230 per tonne from $1,200. Prices for the new harvest of soybean strengthened in Russia's south region by 500 roubles to 17,500 roubles per tonne or to $542 from $537, IKAR added. Rapeseed prices were up by 800 roubles to 15,800 roubles per tonne or to $489 from $473. 

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Qld agricultural colleges to remain open

TWO Queensland agricultural colleges will remain open despite their serious financial troubles, the state government says.

Agriculture Minister John McVeigh announced on Tuesday the Emerald Agricultural College and the Longreach Pastoral College will remain open.

The state government-owned Australian Agricultural College Corporation operates both colleges, a sustainable agricultural centre in Mareeba, a crop and grain training centre in Dalby and a cane growers training site in Mackay.

A spokeswoman for Mr McVeigh told AAP the government could not rule out closing some of the corporation's operations but so far decisions have only been made about the two colleges.

This follows a government commissioned review into the corporation's financial viability.

The Ernst and Young review found the corporation was at risk of running out of cash by the end of the 2012-13 financial year and it forecast a $5.5 million deficit.

Mr McVeigh said the government would work to turn the colleges' management and finances around.

"This ends any uncertainty for prospective students and their families," Mr McVeigh said in a statement.

"They can enrol in courses at either Emerald or Longreach and know that if they put in the hard yards, they can graduate with a recognised agriculture qualification."

The Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) has welcomed the news and says it shows the minister is committed to finding a solution.

"The main objective must be about ensuring the best outcomes for agricultural training," QFF chief executive Dan Galligan said.

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PTI leader opposes mega project on agriculture lands

NOWSHERA: A local leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday said that some influential government representatives from Mardan were in bid to grab the fertile lands from the residents of several villages in the Nowshera district on throw-away prices to resell it for the so-called mega city project.

Speaking at a meeting of the villagers belonging to the Misri Banda, Maira Misri Banda, Nandrako and Pir Sabaq village, PTI leader Siraj Muhammad Khan said the mega city project in Mughalkai area was unacceptable to the residents.

He said the livelihood of the villagers depended on agriculture, and they would not let the public representative and his father to grab their source of livelihood.He flayed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government after accusing it of massive corruption and deliberately scrapping the China Economic Zone project in Nowshera. He alleged that the leaders of the Pakhtuns sold the project to Punjab.

He added the project could have generated investment, jobs and revenue for the government, but the Awami National Party-led government was not interested in the development of the region.

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Americans help Pak scientists, farmers combat cotton disease

ISLAMABAD - Five American scientists traveled to Pakistan to help Pakistani scientists and farmers combat cotton disease, which has infected cotton throughout Pakistan’s cotton belt and can substantially reduce yields and farmers incomes. American and Pakistani scientists, in coordination with Pakistan’s Ministry of Textile and Industry and the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), organized a workshop on “Enhancing Cotton Germplasm, improving Resistance to Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) Disease supporting Cotton (BMPs) for small farmers and Capacity Building of Pakistani Cotton Reserachers” at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Park Road, Chak shahzad, Islamabad on 3rd and 4th September to develop solutions to the Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) problem in Pakistan. This workshop was part of the US government sponsored Cotton Productivity Enhancement Program. In his remarks, Todd Drennan, US Agriculture Counselor said “Agriculture touches so many lives in Pakistan and is a vital part of Pakistan’s economy. The United States wants to help enhance the productivity of Pakistan’s agricultural sector, especially small farmers. This cooperation between US and Pakistani scientists on cotton is an example of that commitment”.The workshop completes a ten days by the American technical team. The team met Pakistani cotton scientists to discuss the results of research on CLCV. The team also visited cotton breeding trails in Faisalabad and Multan. As a result of these trails, which are funded by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) the team reported good news that some new varieties of cotton are showing preliminary signal of resistance to CLCV.Small farmers are especially vulnerable to the economic impacts caused by this disease. Because of this, the US Department of Agriculture has designed the cotton disease research project to help Pakistani farmers. American agricultural scientists continually visit Pakistan to collaborate on research to combat disease affecting Pakistan’s principal crops, especially cotton and wheat. APP adds from Multan: Over 1.7 million bales of cotton have reached ginneries across Pakistan by Sept 1, says a fortnightly report issued by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) here on Monday.According to the first fortnightly PCGA report, cotton arrival was recorded at 1,731,245 bales and 1,557,114 bales were ginned. Arrivals from Punjab was recorded at 967,654 bales and in Sindh, it stood at 763,591 bales till Sept 1.The report said that exporters had bought 2,000 bales of cotton including 800 bales from Punjab and 1200 from Sindh. Textile millers have bought 1,507,767 bales so far and the total sold-out stock stood at 1,509,767 bales. The stock of unsold bales was recorded at 221,476, the report added.

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Koreans ready for joint ventures in agriculture

ISLAMABAD - South Korean investors on Monday showed interest for joint ventures in agriculture sector, as Pakistani mangoes have great demand in South Korean markets.A delegation of South Korean investors, led by Lee Jae Ho, visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) for B2B meetings with Pakistani entrepreneurs having common interest in various fields. Speaking on the occasion, Lee Jae Ho identified a number of areas for mutual co-operation and said that there is a need for enhanced trade ties between Pakistan and South Korea as current volume of trade stood around $1.5 billion which is not up to the mark.Korean investors said that Pakistan and South Korea need to improve their commercial and economic relations to promote bilateral trade and investment by taking advantage of new business opportunities.Yassar Sakhi Butt, President ICCI, said that Pakistan being an agricultural country has an agricultural and canal infrastructure second to none and agriculture continues to play a central role in our economic growth, feeding domestic industry as well as an important source of foreign exchange earnings.He said that South Korea being an important trade partner and having advanced expertise in the field of agriculture could assist us in setting up joint ventures along with latest technology transfers and introduction to latest agriculture practices, saying that Korean investors could earn lucrative profits in Pakistan.Yassar Sakhi Butt said that Pakistan is home to a diverse number of tourist attractions which include very beautiful landscapes, ancient civilizations like Indus Valley and Gandhara civilization as well as Buddha sculptures. Therefore, tourism also offers huge business opportunities to foreign investors, he added.ICCI President urged the Korean investors to bring their capital and technology to Pakistan, establish joint ventures, share their experience and expertise, earn good profits and contribute to further strengthening bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and South Korea.

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NBP leads in agriculture credit financing

ISLAMABAD: The National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) is leading in agriculture credit financing to other banks and financial institutions in the country by lending Rs 45,789.5 million (106 percent of achievement) among nearly 241,296 farmers as of June 30, 2012, against a target of Rs 43,200 million.

According to the spokesman of the bank, Syed Ibne Hassan, NBP’s total outstanding of Rs 41,527.657 million (108 percent of achievement) during one year exceeded by Rs 3027.657 million as of June 30,2012, rising against a target of Rs 38,500 million.

He added this becomes possible due to dynamic leadership of NBP President Qamar Hussain and Chief Operating Officer Dr Asif Brohi.

Out of total 1,283 domestic online branches, 875 are involved in catering to the needs of farmers, while it offers complete range of commercial banking services to farmers.

The NBP has disbursed Rs 45,789.5 million in agriculture credit financing among nearly 241,296 farmers during July 2011 to June 2012, against a target of Rs 43,200 million.

During this period, the percentage of non-performing loans (NPLs) of NBP was about 7.6 percent as of June 30, 2012, compared to 15 percent average NPL’s of commercial banks in agricultural.

The other distinguishing feature of NBP is the competitive mark-up rate, which is lower than the rate being charged by other commercial banks.

The loans disbursed can be divided into two categories - production and development. Under the first category loans are disbursed mainly for the procurement of seeds, leveling land, pesticides etc and fertilizers and the second category is for the purchase of agricultural tractors and implements and construction of modern storage, cattle farms, poultry farms etc and facilities. 

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Ensuring better crop per water drop

Estimated to cost Rs36 billion over six years (2011-17), according to official documents, the project would benefit around 132,000 acres, with different streams, which include drip and sprinkle irrigation), laser leveling of soil, rehabilitating and  improving water courses.

The project is designed to cut huge water losses in the irrigation system that result in lower water productivity. As per project document, 40 per cent of canal water is lost between mogha (outlet) to field due to poor tertiary conveyance system.

Around 20 to 25 per cent water is lost during application in un-even fields. The crop water requirements are not met on time because of inefficient supply delivery. Combined effects of all these factors seriously constrain potential yield from otherwise highly-productive land. It is, therefore, imperative to follow holistic on-farm water management approach for ‘more crop per drop.’

While spending about Rs18.516 billion on water productivity, the project has earmarked Rs13.716 billion for installing high efficiency irrigation systems (HIESs) on around 120,000 acres throughout Punjab.

The government would bear 60 per cent of the cost, the rest by the farmer. Similarly, 3,000 laser levelers would be subsidised (Rs225,000 each) at a cost of Rs4.8 billion. Conveyance improvement would be carried out at a cost of Rs12.36 billion. Some
5,500 water courses would be improved at a cost of Rs9.76 billion. Another Rs1.6 billion would be spent on water courses which were being improved but had been facing funds problems. Third component is adoption and promotion of technologies at a cost of another Rs770 million.

Drawing heavily on the Chinese experience, the Punjab government tried to assess benefit to crops like potato, wheat, citrus and gram. This was done by technical committees headed by Director (Research)of particular crops, with representatives from Economic Research Institute, Crop Reporting and Planning and Evaluation Cell of the Agriculture Department.

According to the crop wise ‘economic benefit’, analysis of drip irrigation, sugarcane yield would increase 39 per cent; 72 per
cent additional land can be brought under the crop because of water saving; some 57 per cent water could be saved, or Rs8,500 per acre.

It would also result in 60 per cent reduction in labour for irrigation and saving on fertiliser would be 53 per cent and 28 per cent. The sucrose recovery would increase to 11.2 per cent against current 9.18 per cent because of efficient and uniform fertiliser application.

Similarly, citrus orchards would benefit by planting 47 more plants per acre and plant mortality rate would drop by 100 per cent. While saving in irrigation cost by 72 per cent, the yield is expected to go up by 105 per cent; juice content would rise by 30 per cent, fruit size would increase from current 45mm to 67mm, which would push up price by 76 per cent.

The fruit would only be bigger and juicy, but also more uniform in shape, size and even better in colour.

Various agencies, which studied impact of water courses improvement, have come up with some astonishing statistics. They calculated 123 acre feet water saving per watercourse per year. Such saving could increase irrigated area by 21 per cent. For individual crops, the benefits could be immense; wheat (10.8 per cent), rice (5.9 per cent) cotton (12.4 per cent) and maize (15.4 per cent). Improved watercourses would allow cropping intensity to go up by 4.37 per cent and reduce salinity by about 87 per cent.

In addition, there would also average reduction of about 33 per cent in conveyance losses, improvement in delivery efficiency to the tune of 38.5 per cent, increase in cropping intensity by nearly 20 per cent and overall increase in crop yields by around 24 per cent.

A number of benefits also accrue from watercourse improvements including reduction in time to fill reaches of a watercourse, leading to increased time for field application. This is often perceived as the greatest benefit by the farmers. They would reduce waterlogging, particularly adjacent to watercourses and lessen the drudgery of irrigation operation to a great extent.

The impact of laser leveling is no less important because it minimises the cost of operation, ensures better degree of accuracy in much lesser time, saves irrigation water, ascertains uniform seed germination, increases fertiliser use efficiency, and resulting in higher crop yields.

An impact assessment study was carried out by the Planning and Evaluation Cell of Agriculture Department during 2008, which revealed: saving in irrigation time from 25.1 to 32.1 per cent, increase in irrigated area by 34.5 to 42.0 per cent, improvement in crop yields from 10.7 to 12.9 per cent and drop farm culturable waste land by 2.10 per cent.

Some of the experts from Punjab believed that benefits of the project would have been multiplied if it was bracketed with a few more factors.

Instead of its area of operation being the entire Punjab, which inevitably would bring political pressure on the management, it should have been restricted to three desert areas (Thal, Cholistan and Rohi), where subsoil water is brackish, and areas are located at the tale-end of the irrigation system.

Similarly, the Pothohar area could have been included, where small dams could make drip and sprinkle cheap because of gravity flow of water.

Another factor could be renewable energy, where manageable, to lower energy cost.

And last, but not the least, the entire project could be attached to horticulture and orchards. It is there where its benefit would be much higher than cotton and wheat grown on drip or sprinkler irrigation.

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Bulgaria Agriculture Ministry 'Sells' Mountain Plots For Free - Expert

Bulgaria's Agriculture Ministry has started to sell some 2000 acres of highlandpastures from the State Land Fund for a ridiculous price, Toma Belev, anenvironmentalist from the Zeleni Balkani ("Green Balkans") NGO has announced.

The pasture plots in question are located near Mount Midzhur in the western part of the Stara Planina ("Balkan") Mountain, and are being sold by the BulgarianAgriculture Ministry at a BGN 0.1 per square meter, Belev alarmed.

His statement comes in the wake of an announcement by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food that they will put up for sale a total of 154 000 decares (38 000 acres) from the State Land Fund in exchange for the so called "compensation bonds" defined as compensation instruments, issued to owners of property nationalised during the communist era that cannot be restored to them in its physical boundaries, which will be eligible payment instrument for the transaction.

The Agriculture Ministry said the total worth of the compensation bonds for the 154 000 decares to be sold will be BGN 47 M but the move is deemed by critics to amount to bestowing the land for free to large firms who managed to buy outcompensation bonds from the individuals over the past 20 years.

Belev is one of the critics alarmed by the fact that corporations can grab hold of largeplots of land almost for free.

"These are mainly pastures and pastures with bushes up in the mountain, which amounts to almost all pastures near Mount Midzhur," he explained.

Belev calculated that the average asking price of the Agriculture Ministry per decare is about BGN 80, or about BGN 0.08 per square meter.

"This is a ridiculous price keeping in mind that it is paid for in compensation bonds. On Friday, the compensation bonds were traded for BGN 0.18 per compensation bond worth BGN 1, which means that the future owner will acquire the highlandpasture at Midzhur for less than BGN 0.02 per square meter," he explained referring to the current price of compensation bonds on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange.

"When it's about "commassation" (i.e. land consolidation – editor's note), for example, if the state has 2 decares somewhere, then selling that is OK. But when it's about 8 000 decares – this means shifting the ownership of the dominant plot in a certain territory from the state into private hands," Belev stated.

He further exposed the sale of pastures by the Agriculture Ministry by explaining that the future buyer who pays BGN 0.08 per square will get their investment back in just one year simply by receiving funding from EU Rural Development Program.

The second matter of concern for the environmentalist is the fact that the Bulgarian state has now started to sell highlands.

"The Bulgarian state has always had a policy of preserving these highlands in the mountain regions as state ownership, including by seizing private plots in the early 20th century. Let me remind you that all of the Vitosha Mountain near Sofia was expropriate in 1926 for a total of BGN 3 M. This was done in order to achieve landconsolidation. What's happening now will lead to fragmentation which isn't good for anybody," Belev elaborated.

He said that the tenders of the Agriculture Ministry to sell 154 000 decares across the country feature large plots of 800-1200 decares, or groups of plots of up to 8000 decares.

"I think that these properties can be managed efficiently by the state. The state is now shedding key properties, especially in the highlands – and that will be bad for both the state and the society," the expert declared.

"Nobody will sell their own land for BGN 0.02 per square meter. I would like to meet the person who would do that," he added.

The Agriculture Ministry has not been available for a response to Belev's statements, the BGNES news agency reported.

Toma Belev is one of the best known and most active environmentalists in Bulgaria; he has gained public acclaim with his work as the former director of the Vitosha National Park near Sofia.

 Original Article Here

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