11/05/2026
Qadir Abad is a desert village in UC Azizabad, Muzaffargarh, faces sandy dunes, extreme heat, and low rainfall, making farming difficult. Residents have leveled dunes to cultivate land, but harsh conditions keep crop yields low. In Qadir Abad’s sandy soils, wheat needs heavy fertilizers yet yields poor nutrition. Small farmer Aqeel Ahmad averaged just 30–35 maunds per acre due to traditional seeds, limited modern practices, and poor storage, restricting income and food security.
Under the “Building Resilience through Improved Food and Nutrition Security” project, FDO provided Aqeel Ahmad with Akbar bio-fortified wheat seeds, fertilizer, and training on modern farming and post-harvest storage for the Rabi 2024 season. By using bio-fortified seeds and modern techniques, Aqeel boosted wheat yield by 28% to 45 maunds per acre, earning an extra PKR 22,000 and saving PKR 13,000 totaling PKR 35,000 in gains from a single crop. Aqeel’s family now enjoys more nutritious flour, improving his children’s health. Savings covered two months of expenses, better food, and education, bringing stability and confidence. Higher yields and improved storage, including using neem leaves, boosted income, food security, and inspired five other farmers.
This shows that bio-fortified seeds, paired with modern practices and training, can boost productivity. Farmer-to-farmer learning and better storage reduce losses, while quality inputs and guidance bring lasting benefits to smallholder farmers.
“Before, I harvested 30–35 maunds per acre with Sehr seed. Using Akbar bio-fortified seed and modern techniques from FDO’s training, I now harvest 45 maunds, earn more, and confidently secure my family’s wheat needs. I also protect my grain with neem leaves and share my knowledge with other farmers.”
(Aqeel Ahmad Village Qadir Abbad)
Welthungerhilfe | Assistant Commissioner Muzaffargarh | Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Alliance, Pakistan | Multi Sectoral Nutrition Center, Planning & Development Board, Punjab
