24. Describe a problem or challenging situation that you resolved by using your initiative.

What was the outcome? Please select this example carefully. It should illustrate something
that you want the review panel to know about your problem-solving, leadership abilities,
and/or commitment to public service. (450 - 500 Words)

Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economic and facing a cyclones of problems in Pakistan
as; Lack of Modern Agriculture technology, Poor Financial Position of Farmer, Limited Cultivable
Area, Water logging and salinity, Slow Growth of Allied Product, Low per Hectare Yield,
Inadequate Infrastructure, Uneconomic Land holdings, Old method of Production, Inadequate
supply of Agriculture Inputs, Lack of irrigation Facilities, Inadequate Agriculture Research Center,
Problem of Land Reforms, Defective Land Reforms, Subsistence Farming, Low Cropping
intensity, Improper Crop Rotation, Various Plant diseases and Natural Calamities…etc.

The curse of salinity is on the rise in Pakistan. Since our economy depends on agriculture,
ignoring this on a policy level would lead to long term implications in terms of agriculture
productivity, food security, on farm employment and socio political unrest. The engineering
solutions like the SCARP’s are very costly and do not work in our conditions because of huge
O&M costs. Adequate evidence on the basis of research both internationally as well as
nationally show that there are good prospects of providing alternate solutions to the problem of
salinity. One such solution, which has been tested successfully by various research institutes in
public and private sector, is the use of Biosaline agriculture. These technologies may not reclaim
the salt affected soils to its original form, but it does give an option to the farmers to grow
productive agriculture and bio mass on wastelands for getting economic and social benefits.

In this regard the pioneer research work has been done by many institutes in Pakistan such as
Saline Agriculture Research Centre (SARC) University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan Atomic
Energy Commission’s institutes on Agriculture and Biology, Pakistan Agricultural Research
Council (PARC), Provincial Agricultural Departments, Universities and NGO’s. The work done by
these institutes has shown that these biosaline agricultural technologies could provide
opportunities of utilizing salt affected soil for economic benefit of the farmers. The research
conducted by these organizations has identified more than 1500 plant species that have high
levels of tolerance to salinity. These plants (trees, shrubs, grasses and herbs) are major
resources that can be used in the development of agricultural systems for salt affected soils. In
addition these organizations have proved that there are opportunities to increase the salt
tolerance of existing crops using conventional plant breeding and molecular biological
approaches.

As majority of the population in rural areas are living in a viscous cycle of salinity, low
productivity and poverty. The problems of salinity, water logging directly affect the
living standard of the people in general and the poor with low land holdings in
particular. Majority of these people doesn’t have the financial resources or access to
inputs technical knowledge that can help mitigate their plight. Even in large land
holdings, majority of the farming is done by tenants on share cropping base and is
therefore equally if not more affected. Growing salinity, drought, aridity and water
logging are few of the causative factors that are associated with the existence and
exacerbation of large-scale poverty in Pakistan. 2000 square meters of arable land
becomes desert every day.

Since I addressed the problem of soil salinity of my district Sanghar. I initiated the work on salt
affected soils. I introduced the Biosaline agriculture program into the farmers on the basis of
participatory level. A small village organization was established on village level, and association
named SAFA (saline agriculture farmer association).

the followings were the outcomes of my efforts by carrying the interventions in selected
villages.

1. Formation of COs
2. Awareness & Training Programms
3. Establishment of mega nurseries & Plant material
4. Fish Pond
5. Live stock (Farm House)
6. Demonstration Plots (Major & Minor crops)
7. Land reclamation through Biological (suitable Bio Saline crops) & Chemical
ammendments
8. Introduction & application of modren agricultural technology packages
9. Poverty reduction activity
10. Linkages with market & related Govt & Non Govt organizations