Government Announces Conversion of Locusts into Organic Fertilisers
The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFS&R) has given its approval to incentivise the community at the grassroot levels so that they can control the locust crisis better.
The government announced on June 24 that their plan to get out of the locust crisis is through their conversion into organic fertilisers. The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFS&R) has given its approval to incentivise the community at the grassroot levels so that they can control the locust crisis better.
The ministry will be helping the community mobilise and convert the locusts into bio-compost (along with other bio-waste material) that can be used to make the harvests healthier. Their statement mentioned, “the locust-based fertiliser will have added advantage of more N (9%) and P (7%). Initially, locust will be unruffled through community mobilisation under the incentivised scheme.”
“Arid zone Centres/Institutes of PARC Bahawalpur, Tharparkar/Umerkot, Lakki Marwat/DI Khan will be involved in the implementation of the project.”
People available at various institutes, such as Kharan Dryland Centre of Balochistan and Agriculture Research Institutes of PARC at Turbat, Lasbela and Khuzdar, will be involved in the execution of the project.
The government will be including the Land Resources Research Institute (LRRI) and Ecotoxicology Programme of PARC to provide the scientific backings for the compost production. The marketing and distribution will be handled by PARC Agrotech Company (PATCO) in partnership with the private sector.
The pilot of the scheme will be conducted in the “Cholistan and the Thar Desert during next 3-4 summer reproduction months”, according to the statement released by the ministry.
It is expected that the success of this scheme will lead to improvement in the crop productivity by 10-15%, reduction in the use of recommended chemical fertilisers up to 25%, improvement in the soil organic matter (SOM), soil fertility and soil health.
Within the first year, the government plans to produce compost worth of Rs 1 billion. In the long run, the government project can be sustained without the conversion of locusts into organic fertiliser.
“If 1% of crop loss is controlled by this project then there will be benefit of Rs 32 billion. Out of 1 hundred thousand tonne of locusts, 70,000 tonne compost will be formed. A single-family can earn Rs 6,000 on average per month. The full cost of the project will be recovered in three years. Payment to the community will be channelised in a proper way. The project is in the approval stage.”
The government wishes to export the certified locust organic fertilisers once the project has been properly established.
To read about Punjab Government’s decision regarding the COVID-19 SOPs for funerals, click here.
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