It goes without saying that food security plays a vital role in the development and security of any country.
By Muhammad Hasnain
Food security refers to the uninterrupted supply of clean and nutritious food to all people living in a country or region to lead a healthy and active life that is within the purchasing power of the country’s citizens. Food security is the key to good health, education, and development of citizens. The food security of a region depends on its agricultural production and its ingredients. It depends on the good and timely management of the land, water and environment and crops in the area.
The world’s current population is about 7.5 billion, which, according to a conservative estimate, will exceed 9 billion by 2050. Similarly, the population of Pakistan, which currently exceeds 220 million, is expected to reach 400 million by 2050. Ensuring food security for the growing population of the world and Pakistan will require twice as much agricultural production today as it is today and the various components it contains, especially zinc. Zinc is a “micronutrient” that is important not only for plants but also for animals and humans.
To achieve the ideal and best yield, it is necessary to have suitable soil and water, which can be detected by soil and water analysis. Engro Fertilizers Limited mobile and fixed laboratories are providing their services for soil and water analysis. To guide farmers, Engro Fertilizers Laboratories is analysing 37,000 soil samples and 1,000 water samples annually, identifying deficiencies in Micro and Macro soil nutrients and recommending balanced use of fertilizers, modern methods of cultivation require selection of authentic seeds, balanced and timely application of fertilizers, water and other nutrients.
Research trials on Paddy were jointly organized by Engro Fertilizers and Institute of Soil Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad for better management of harvesting stages and guidance of farmers. In which conventional fertilizers like urea, DAP and MOP were added on one side and on the other side Engro Zarkhaz Plus 8-23-18 was used instead. Zarkhaz Plus treatment yielded 12% more than conventional fertilizers.
Similarly, in another research trial, ordinary urea and market zinc were used on one side and Engro Zabardast urea was used on the other side. Zabardast urea yielded 10.5% more than normal urea and zinc sulphate.
Zarkhaz Plus (8-23-18) is a blended fertilizer used at the time of sowing in which the presence of organic fillers and bio-stumulents ensures a balanced supply of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to the plant and enhances the plant’s immunity. This increases the productivity of the plant.
Engro zabardast urea is the only unique fertilizer in Pakistan. Due to the presence of bio-active zinc on urea, the plant gets zinc easily. And there is no zinc deficiency in the grains obtained in this way and it is a low-cost method in which the quality and yield of cereal crops can be increased without spending separately. And humans can be saved from zinc deficiency.
In view of the above-mentioned facts, policy makers and the government have an urgent need to provide uninterrupted supply of modern fertilizers to farmers at affordable rates to promote the timely use of inputs to ensure food security in the country. There is an urgent need to work on it.