Iddrisu Alhassan

Ministry of Food and Agriculture

The project titled "Special Program for Food Security and Productivity Enhancement of Small Farmers (Crop Maximization Project-II)" was approved by the Federal Government on 4th May, 2007 for a period of 5 years (July 2007 to June 2012) at a total cost of Rs 8013.522 million. It is being implemented in 1012 villages of 28 districts of all four provinces, AJK, FATA and FANA. The Food Security Program focuses on segment of small & medium farmers having limited resources, which are about 95% of the total farming community and having 63% of the total cultivated land. The project is based on participatory approach and involves farming community by establishing Village Organizations (VOs) at village level. The project is technology oriented which leads to provide technical assistance, skills and resources required for productivity enhancement and raising the income of small farmers. The technology packages are simple and time tested with proven benefits. The project helps establish Implement Pools, Input Sales & Marketing Centres and Revolving Fund to ensure availability of farm implements on rental basis, quality inputs on competitive prices, as well as loans to member farmers for productivity enhancement and setting up small enterprises at farm and village levels.