Dua Agro Farm Project Tharparkar

Thar Desert spans 20,000 square kilometers, and is one of the world’s largest and most fertile deserts. During the monsoon season, if rainfall is sufficient, the desert transforms into a lush green expanse. Local people take advantage of the monsoon season to cultivate crops such as cluster beans, millet and mung beans, which provide them with a good source of income through their sales.

The natural grass that grows with the monsoon rains serves as fodder for livestock for several months. During the season, a specific type of mushroom also grows naturally in the desert, which the locals enjoy cooking and eating. Additionally, watermelon vines sprout across the arid landscape, producing watermelons with flesh that is white or pink rather than the usual deep red, yet still very sweet.

A tree commonly found in many areas of Thar called “Kandi” or “Khejri” is known for its pods. It is used as a vegetable called “Sangri.” Since most areas of the desert lack irrigation systems, agriculture in the region relies heavily on seasonal monsoon rains.

In September 2015, Dua Foundation initiated its Agro Farm Project by installing an electric-powered tubewell on a piece of land owned by Ali Muhammad Lund, a local villager who resides in Kaloi tehsil. He was a poor laborer who owned eight acres of ancestral land, but used to earn his livelihood by cutting and selling wood from wild acacia trees, which was used as fuel in brick kilns, and in some areas, it was converted into charcoal. Despite working hard, he used to earn only about 9,000 rupees a month, which was barely enough to sustain his family. They lived in makeshift shelters, and his children did not attend school

After the installation of the tubewell, the Foundation provided Ali Muhammad with mustard seeds and guided him on how to cultivate the crop. Drawing on his limited farming experience from cultivation during the monsoon season, he quickly adapted to the new methods. Within just six months of planting mustard, he earned 150,000 rupees. Encouraged by this success, he expanded his farming to include wheat, cotton, psyllium, and other crops, bringing about a remarkable economic transformation for his family.

Dua Foundation named this initiative the Agro Farm Project and expanded it to other areas, including Kaloi, Diplo, Islamkot, Nagarparkar, Chachro and Dahli. The Foundation established several farms in various villages, which were then handed over to local communities. In villages without access to electricity, solar systems were installed to operate the tubewells, thus ensuring a sustainable source of irrigation.

How Does the Solar Tube Well Work?

Three bores are drilled on a piece of land, and a large storage tank is constructed to collect water. Submersible pumps are installed in the bores to extract water, which is then collected in the tank and distributed to the crops. These pumps are powered by solar systems, offering an efficient and sustainable solution for water management in the region.

Through these initiatives, the Dua Agro Farm Project is transforming the agricultural landscape of Thar, providing sustainable livelihoods and significantly improving the quality of life for many local families.

Cultivating Fruit Trees in Thar

In October 2018, a large Agro Farm was established on the ancestral land of Shahabuddin Samejo, a school teacher, in the village of Sakhi Siyar, the second-largest tehsil of Dahli in Thar. A bore was drilled to a depth of 450 feet with a diameter of 12 inches in the farm that spans 18 acres. A large submersible pump, powered by a solar system, was installed along with a storage tank having a capacity of 16,000 gallons of water.

The farm cultivates a variety of crops such as wheat, mustard, cotton, psyllium, sesame and cumin, and notably the Foundation has also planted date palms, jujube, pomegranate and olive trees.

Jujube is a native fruit of Tharparkar, typically growing as wild shrubs bearing very small fruit. However, Dua Foundation introduced grafted jujube plants from a nursery in Mirpurkhas and planted them on the farm. For date palms, saplings of the Aseel variety were sourced from Khairpur, while pomegranate and olive plants were obtained from a nursery in Islamabad. This marked the first time in the thousands of years of Thar history that date palms, pomegranates and olives were successfully cultivated in the region.

Jujube and pomegranate plants began bearing fruit after just one year, while date palms started producing clusters of dates after two years. It is important to note that date palms include both male and female trees. When clusters (flowers) appear, male pollen must be manually applied to the female clusters to ensure the production of well-sized fruit.

The successful cultivation of date palms in Dahli marks a significant breakthrough for the people of Thar. Building on this success, Dua Foundation also planted date palms in the tehsils of Kaloi and Diplo. These trees include varieties such as Aseel, Dhakki and Mazafati.

Since September 2015, Dua Foundation has established more than 60 Agro Farms. The success of these projects has inspired hundreds of people across the tehsils of Kaloi, Diplo, Nagarparkar and Chachro to start farming on their own, utilizing their resources to develop Agro Farms.

Grafting Wild Jujube Shrubs

In 2020, Dua Foundation conducted experiments in several villages of Dahli tehsil, grafting wild jujube shrubs with grafted jujube varieties. These experiments were highly successful, and within just one year, the grafted trees began producing large-sized fruit. Building on this success, hundreds of individuals across various villages have since adopted the practice, grafting wild jujube shrubs on their lands.

Cultivating Moringa and Australian Acacia

Dua Foundation has introduced the cultivation of Moringa and Australian Acacia in the tehsils of Kaloi, Diplo and Dahli in Thar. Moringa pods are used as a vegetable, while its leaves serve as excellent fodder for livestock. Australian Acacia, a shrub that remains green throughout the year, serves as an excellent source of fodder for animals.

These efforts by Dua Foundation are transforming the agricultural landscape of Thar, creating new opportunities for sustainable farming and improved livelihoods for the local communities.

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