The provincial agriculture department has formulated a comprehensive plan for the promotion of kitchen gardening across Punjab.
Official sources said that the plan would help create awareness among the people about the importance and utility of home grown and fresh vegetables. Under the programme, the department had already sold 0.1 million winter (Rabi) seed kits on subsidised rates across the province.
In Sialkot District, 3,200 seed kits were sold out of which 800 were sold in Daska Tehsil, 1,200 in Sialkot Tehsil, 800 in Pasrur Tehsil and 400 in Sambrial Tehsil.
The agriculture department will also hold training programmes for aspirants in schools, colleges and universities and vocational training centres in Punjab.
Under the programme, special attention would be paid on extending the sphere of kitchen gardening to semi-urban and rural parts, the sources added.
Agriculture experts revealed that nearly one-third of the urban population in Pakistan is food insecure owing to rapid urbanisation and climate change. They added that kitchen gardening and micro-gardening techniques can help Pakistan’s urban population to reduce this threat.
They said the Punjab government had started various initiatives to promote kitchen gardening in urban areas and create awareness among the masses in this regard.
They pointed out that kitchen gardening is gaining popularity among people, especially the womenfolk. The kitchen gardening is actively attaching highest importance in the wake of upsurge in prices, malnutrition, poverty alleviation and consumption of fresh and home grown vegetables.
Experts maintained the government is providing seeds and seedlings at subsidised rates in all 36 districts of Punjab and encouraging women and youth to start kitchen gardening.
