Peshawar: Adviser to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Agriculture, Mian Muhammad Umar, stated on Monday that several new development projects have been proposed under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) for 2026-27. These initiatives aim to promote agricultural growth, modern technology, efficient utilization of water resources, climate change adaptation, and farmers' welfare. The proposed projects are designed to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen the rural economy, and create new opportunities for agricultural development across the province, particularly in the merged districts.
He expressed these views while chairing a review meeting on the Agriculture Department's Annual Development Programme. The meeting was attended by Secretary Agriculture Dr. Bakhtiar Khan, Special Secretary Agriculture Parvez Khan, Director Generals of various wings of the Agriculture Department, and other relevant officials. During the meeting, the Adviser was given a detailed briefing on ongoing and proposed development projects under the ADP for 2026-27.
It was informed that 16 projects under the proposed ADP and seven projects under the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP) would be launched in merged districts. The proposed initiatives include the promotion of innovative farming through advanced agricultural machinery, installation of solarized tube wells and efficient groundwater management systems to enhance agricultural production, promotion of biological pest control, feasibility studies for cold chain infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses, expansion of olive cultivation, strengthening of virus-free seed potato production systems, establishment of a tissue culture laboratory for Dhakki dates, and upgradation of germplasm resource centers.
To empower youth and develop human resources in the agricultural sector, the government is also introducing interest-free loans for agriculture graduates, educational scholarships in agricultural sciences, and internship programs. Other important initiatives include the establishment of a Mountain Agricultural Research Centre in Lower Dir, promotion of temperate horticultural crops, estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector, improvement of crop estimation systems, development of command areas of small dams, enhancement of irrigation infrastructure, and expansion of smart irrigation projects.
The Agriculture Department has also proposed a major project titled “Protection of Vulnerable Agricultural Land through Land Stabilization Structures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” to address the challenges posed by climate change and land erosion. Under this project, 1,150 agricultural land stabilization structures will be constructed across the province, including merged districts, to protect farmland from erosion, rainwater runoff, and declining soil fertility.
Similarly, the proposed programme includes projects aimed at supporting women farmers in the merged districts, promoting small businesses, encouraging cultivation of high-value crops and seasonal vegetables in Tirah Valley, establishing a Tribal Agricultural Research Centre, promoting honey production, and ensuring sustainable management of water resources.
