DNA
\nCHENGDU
\nChina\u2019s maize-soybean strip intercropping technology has attracted a lot of attention after a recent media\u2019s report highlighted two Pakistani students from Sichuan Agricultural University are using and popularizing this technology in their hometown.
\nThis technology is universally applicable all over Pakistan. It can boost maize yield as well as create an additional soybean harvest to reduce Pakistan\u2019s soybean imports and improve the country\u2019s food security,\u201d Yang Wenyu, the professor of Sichuan Agricultural University who develops this technology and provides generous support for the two students, said in an interview with Gwadar Pro.
\n\u201cThere\u2019s a lack of soybean production in Pakistan. Pakistan is China\u2019s iron brother. We are willing to offer support to help Pakistan bridge the gap between domestic production and imports,\u201d Yang Wenyu said. It\u2019s he who initially formulated the idea of introducing this technology to Pakistan. His team has been supporting the two students Muhammad Ali Raza and Sajad Hussain to make demonstrations in Pakistan both technically and financially the whole time since 2018.
\nThe application of maize-soybean strip intercropping technology in Pakistan has theoretical and practical basis. First, Pakistan has a large population while the area of arable land is limited. It has the demand to develop intercropping to grow two crops together.
\nSecond, Pakistan enjoys ample sunlight, which is a favorable natural condition for soybean\u2019s growth. Moreover, in the intercropping fields, maize can shade soybean to reduce high average temperature\u2019s impact, and nitrogen fixation by soybean can promote maize\u2019s growth in return. The crops in this model are like close partners that cooperate with each other to create bumper harvests.
\nForecasted by Yang Wenyu, by using maize-soybean strip intercropping technology, the yield of maize can reach 10,500 kg per hectare with an additional 1,350 to 1,650 kg\/ha soybean production in Pakistan\u2019s irrigated areas. In rainfed areas, the production of maize and soybean can rise to 6,000 kg\/ha and 4,500 to 1,500 kg\/ha respectively.
\nAt present, maize is grown on an area of about 1.3 million hectares in Pakistan. In this way, the nation\u2019s maize yield can be guaranteed and greatly increased. More importantly, Pakistani farmers can harvest considerable soybean meanwhile. That will definitely generate sizeable economic benefit for Pakistani people.
\nAt first there were some doubts about the technology\u2019s performance because many local farmers hadn\u2019t seen this kind of farming model before. \u201cAs long as they follow our technical instructions to plant the two crops, this technology is sure to work out,\u201d Yang said with confidence.
\n\u201cActually many countries are researching into intercropping. But across the globe our maize-soybean strip intercropping may be the only mature intercropping system that is well-equipped with all-around technologies of field configuration, fertilization, pest control, etc. and promoted on such a massive scale.\u201d Furthermore, this technology has realized mechanization from sowing seeds, crop management to harvest.
\nIt should be noted that after 18 years\u2019 research and development, in February, 2020, Yang Wenyu\u2019s maize-soybean strip intercropping technology was included in China\u2019s \u201cNo. 1 Central Document\u201d of top-priority by CPC Central Committee and the State Council of the People\u2019s Republic of China to be promoted vigorously and widely in more regions of China.
\nBesides Pakistan, it also has been introduced to Africa and Europe such as Ghana and Sweden. Yang Wenyu\u2019s team is working with Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences to promote the technology in European countries.
\nIn Pakistan, so far four demonstrations have been arranged separately in Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Islamabad and Layyah. Yang Wenyu\u2019s team is cooperating with Pakistan\u2019s National AgricultureResearch Center and PMAS-Arid Agriculture University to build high-yield demonstrations. \u201cHigh-yield demonstrations in different regions will prove the technology\u2019s value and receive local people and government\u2019s recognition,\u201d said Yang. They are also working on technical parameters specifically for Pakistan.
\nDeveloping maize-soybean intercropping technology in Pakistan is like a cause of common good because every Pakistani farmer can learn and master this technology for free. It\u2019s knowledge, not a product.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Yang Wenyu\u2019s team deserves to be further supported bilaterally. As agriculture is among the six key socio-economic fields under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) cooperation, we believe the fruition of maize-soybean strip intercropping technology will bring more benefits to Pakistani and Chinese people in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DNA CHENGDU China\u2019s maize-soybean strip intercropping technology has attracted a lot of attention after a recent media\u2019s report highlighted two Pakistani students from Sichuan Agricultural University are using and popularizing this technology in their hometown. This technology is universally applicable all over Pakistan. It can boost maize yield as well as create an additional soybean […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-124522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-business"],"yoast_head":"\n