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Azad Jammu and Kashmir has achieved another milestone in modern agricultural technology by promoting olive cultivation in the region with the cooperation of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA)
MUZAFFARABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 20th Dec, 2024) Azad Jammu and Kashmir has achieved another milestone in modern agricultural technology by promoting olive cultivation in the region with the cooperation of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).
Under this initiative, two projects have been inaugurated with a cost of 40 million rupees. These projects include the installation of an Olive Oil Extraction Unit at the Agriculture Complex in Gujra at a cost of 22 million rupees, and the establishment of a laboratory to promote mushroom production in public private partnership at a cost of 18 million rupees, aimed at developing mushroom cultivation as a cottage industry in Azad Kashmir.
The inauguration ceremony of these projects was held at the Agriculture Complex in Gujra. The Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation, and Water Supply of Azad Kashmir, Sardar Mir Akbar Khan, along with the head of the Turkish delegation, Dusan Ali Yeskan, inaugurated the projects.
The event was attended by Secretary of Planning and Development Amir Latif Awan, Secretary of Agriculture Imtiaz Ahmed, Head of TIKA Pakistan Desk Oya Tiyutonsu Govin, Country Head Mohsin Bilki, Commissioner of Muzaffarabad Division Masood Rehman, former Director General of Agriculture Khawaja Khurshid Ahmed, as well as officers from the Agriculture Department and a large number of farmers.
On this occasion, the Director of Parks and Horticulture, Malik Amir, provided a departmental briefing. The Director of Agriculture Extension, Ms. Amna Rafi, briefed about the Olive Oil Extraction Unit, while Director of Agricultural Research Zafar Jahangir and Deputy Director Abdul Hafeez Mughal briefed about the mushroom production laboratory.
A large number of farmers attended the event and had olive oil extraction done using locally sourced olives. After Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Agriculture Department of Azad Kashmir has set up this automatic and imported Olive Oil Extraction Unit, which is a significant success for the department and will aid in bringing innovation to the agricultural sector.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Minister for Agriculture Sardar Mir Akbar Khan expressed gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Turkey for their cooperation in bringing innovation to the crucial sector of agriculture.
He highlighted that Turkey had always extended support during challenging times, including their help in the restoration and reconstruction efforts following the October 8, 2005 earthquake.
He mentioned that many projects in Muzaffarabad, including the District Headquarters Complex, the large mosque near the Prime Minister’s House, and others, were completed with Turkey’s assistance.
The Minister said that Turkey is advanced in the field of technology, and he hoped that the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency would continue its support for agricultural development and other sectors in the future.
He further added that the agricultural sector plays a key role in economic development, and with its fertile land and natural beauty, Azad Kashmir can achieve further progress in agriculture with Turkey’s support.
He thanked Turkey for its assistance and stated that local farmers in Azad Kashmir now have access to olive oil extraction facilities, eliminating the need to travel to Mansehra or Islamabad.
He also mentioned that by promoting mushroom production, the region could reap significant benefits.
In his speech, Dusan Ali Yeskan, Head of TIKA South Asia, expressed great joy at the opening of these two projects and their outcomes, as farmers in Azad Kashmir were benefiting from them.
He assured that cooperation with the Agriculture Department of Azad Kashmir would continue. He also agreed with the Minister’s suggestion to collaborate on beekeeping in 2025, further strengthening their partnership in agricultural innovation.
Yeskan explained that TIKA is currently working in 150 developing countries around the world to promote economic self-sufficiency and provide facilities to the public.
Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock, Chaudhry Imtiaz Ahmed, spoke about how agriculture can lead the way to economic self-sufficiency.
He emphasized that through the cooperation of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, the Agriculture Department is introducing innovations that will benefit local farmers.
He mentioned that other projects are in the pipeline, and their completion would significantly improve the agricultural sector and bring prosperity to farmers.
He also acknowledged the challenges posed by climate change on agriculture and assured that farmers are being educated to adapt to these changes.
Meanwhile, Director of Agriculture Malik Muhammad Amir provided a detailed briefing on the completed and ongoing projects under the collaboration with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, expressing gratitude for their support.
He explained how this collaboration will introduce modern agricultural technology and innovation to improve the sector.
Regarding the Olive Oil Extraction Unit, Director of Agriculture Extension Amna Rafi mentioned that Azad Kashmir’s climate and soil are highly suitable for olive cultivation. This year, the Agriculture Department planted 237,000 olive saplings and grafted 281,000 saplings. Olive production from Azad Kashmir this year reached 46 million tons.
She explained that before the establishment of the extraction unit, farmers had to travel to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab for oil extraction, but now, with this facility installed in Muzaffarabad, farmers can conveniently extract oil locally.
Project In-charge Entomologist Abdul Hafeez Mughal provided a briefing on the mushroom production laboratory, informing that Turkish cooperation would allow farmers to receive mushroom spawn for free, a service previously unavailable in Azad Kashmir. This initiative will also involve the youth, providing them opportunities to generate employment. The Agriculture Department and farmers thanked the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency for their support in this regard.
