DLP Report
PESHAWAR
In a major move to economically empower small and poor farmers, the province has launched a Rs 500 million saffron cultivation project spanning three years.
The initiative, which commenced in the fiscal year 2024–25, aims to introduce high-value saffron farming across 21 districts of the province.
The districts selected for cultivation include Upper and Lower Chitral, Upper and Lower Dir, Bajaur, Malakand, Upper and Lower Swat, Shangla, Buner, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Haripur, Swabi, Hangu, and North and South Waziristan, among others.
Supervised by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Provincial Minister for Agriculture Major (R) Muhammad Sajjad Barakwal, and Secretary Agriculture Dr. Ambar Ali Khan, the project was being executed through the Department of Agriculture.
Field staff and officers are providing hands-on training to farmers, focusing on modern saffron farming techniques including land preparation, planting of corms, and effective crop management.
The provincial leadership has expressed strong optimism that saffron cultivation could usher in a new agricultural and economic era for the region.
“This initiative has the potential to significantly boost farmers’ incomes and promote sustainable agriculture,” said Provincial Agriculture Minister Sajjad Barakwal. Among the early beneficiaries is Hajira Kamal, a female farmer from Mastuj in Upper Chitral.
After receiving a six-hour training session organized by the Agriculture Department in Booni, she successfully planted saffron on her land.
“This project is a new opportunity for women farmers to achieve financial independence and prosperity,” she said.
“I am grateful to the Agriculture Department and the Minister for Agriculture for providing us with the chance to grow this rare and valuable crop.”
Encouraging results from a model saffron plot in Upper Chitral have further boosted confidence among local farmers. Many believe the initiative will not only transform agriculture in the province but also create new employment opportunities in rural areas.
Officials say the project marks a shift toward modern, high-income farming practices and could establish KP as a hub for saffron production in Pakistan.
