ISLAMABAD: Pakistan can achieve the target of sustainable and environmentally-friendly growth by promoting Juncao technology with the help of China, WealthPK reports.
Dr Nurullah, a senior scientific officer at National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC), told WealthPk that Pakistan and China are committed to strengthening bilateral relations in the fields of agriculture input production, including pesticides, fertiliser, machinery, and support services such as education and research.
He said that the technology exchanges between China and Pakistan have the potential to improve the agricultural economy of the country. “Juncao is a unique Chinese technology for effective use of three primary agricultural resources including light, heat, and water as well as the recycling of plant, animal and fungal material,” he added.
He said that the technology helped farmers to grow different types of nutritional mushrooms from chopped grasses without cutting down trees and damaging the environment. “Besides producing feed and biogas, Juncao can also be used to prevent desertification by reducing soil erosion,” he added.
Dr Nurullah said that the technology could create more jobs and support sustainable agricultural growth. It is not enough to rely solely on Chinese specialists to develop Juncao technology in Pakistan. The promotion of the technology in the country will need the backing of the Pakistani government, enterprises and scientists. The technology can lead to new avenues to sustainable development to maintain a good balance between income generation opportunities for farmers and the environment in Pakistan.
“It is estimated that Pakistan’s agricultural yield is almost half of China’s. Pakistan’s agro-economy can be considerably enhanced through the most recent technological advances. Exchange of agricultural technologies can increase the productivity of the agriculture sector in Pakistan,” he said.
China is willing to share the “grass of happiness” with Pakistan. Chinese and Pakistani authorities have agreed to sign a memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to introduce Juncao technology in the country.
According to the ambassador of China to Pakistan, a single hectare of land yields 300 tonnes of fresh grass every year. It is enough to cultivate 120 tonnes of fresh mushrooms or feed 300 goats. It also addresses forage scarcity throughout the winter season.
Juncao is famed as ‘magic grass’ in two Chinese characters meaning ‘mushroom’ and ‘grass’. China built the first overseas demonstration base for Juncao technology in Papua New Guinea in 2001. The technology has been introduced to more than 100 countries, playing an important role in alleviating poverty, creating jobs, promoting the use of renewable energy, addressing climate change and improving living standard of people, according to the information gathered by WealthPK.
