LARKANA: March 12, 2011. (By Nazir Siyal) Small growers of various flood-ravaged parts of Sindh including Larkana, Mehar, Kambar-Shahdad Kot, Johi, KN Shah, Warah, Jaccobabad, Kashmore-KandhKot, Sukkur, Shikarpur and Thatta have successfully cultivated Sunflower crop on 107500 acres land and changed the pattern of crop in Sindh first time for a long. Cultivation of Sunflower crop was started under Sindh Agriculture Recovery Project of USAID and it was implemented by SRSO Sindh Rural Support Organization in seven flood damaged districts of Sindh to provide early relief to losses of flood damaged growers, after supper flood 2010. Talking to this scribe, SRSO CEO, Dr Sono Khangharani who is also well known rural development expert, said that growers of flood damaged parts successfully cultivated wheat 30 thousand acres land and Sunflower crop 7500 acres land in three districts Larkana, Dadu and Sukkur districts under the FAO Food and Agriculture Organization project. He said that it was monitored through third party that all seed of wheat and seed of sunflower were cultivated, which seed was distributed among growers through Thardeep Rural development Program and SRSO staff. He said that sunflower crop had changed pattern of crop and it will met target of eatable oils in Pakistan. He said that through another project under Sindh Agriculture Recovery Project of USAID, the total 101152 acres land of Sunflower crop was cultivated by growers in seven districts of Sindh successfully. He said that SRSO will purchase the all production of Sunflower (seed of Sunflower) from growers and SRSO was contacting with industrialists and traders for selling this seed of Sunflower in market after harvesting by growers at spot. Mr Khangharani advised to flood damaged growers to cultivate the sunflower crop and vegetables for early recovery of their flood damages in agriculture sector happened in supper flood 2010. He said that it was aid US people for flood hit people of seven districts, which SRSO was providing to growers honestly and transparent way. He said that this was aid by US people, which reached first of all in Sindh to help the affected growers. USAID deputy Chief, Nissar Ahmed Pathan has said that owing to recent showers (rains) in Sindh, the sunflower crop was benefited and it was proved as best crop, which was cultivated through Sindh Agriculture Recovery Project and FAO Food and Agricultural Organization of USAID and it was implemented by SRSO Sindh Rural Support Organization in seven flood damaged districts of Sindh. Nissar Pathan said that Sunflower was cultivated on total 130000 acres land by growers in which under Sindh agriculture Recovery project it was cultivated on 110152 acres (One lac one thousand one hundred fifty two acres) land till February 20, 2011 and it will be harvested after three months of sowing period after April 20, 2011. He assured growers that this sunflower will be purchased by SRSO. He said that four vegetable seeds also were provided to small growers which were cultivated for early income in flood damaged districts. Reejhpur village is located at 5 kms away from flood devastated town KN Shah of Dadu district, which village is completely damaged village of KN Shah taluka, which was flooded after breaches of Suprio Bund in super flood 2010, where through Thardeep Rural Development program, a distribution of sunflower seed was started. A villager, Haji Roshan said that all agroculture land comprising on 1200 acrs land of paddy crop and vegetables were damaged in super flood 2010 but after reducing flood water, villagers had preffered to cultivate Sunflower crop. Mr Washoomal district manager Tahrdeep Rural Development Program Dadu said that seed of sunflower was distributed among 11715 growers, and it was sucessfully cultivated on 20930 acrs land in district. Union council Bahawalpur of taluka Johi is one of completey flood damaged union council area, it was flooded after 46 breaches into Main Nara Valley Drain in super flood 2010, wher following demands of small growers, a seeower was distributed and this completely union council looks fertile. A grower, Niaz Jamali thanked officials of USAID and SRSO for helping them for cultivation of Sunflower project. Another Sunflower grower of union council Kamal Khan Manzoor Ahmed Solangi also demanded that government and international donors should provide seed and fertilizers for paddy crop in this flood damaged area. A grower from Shikarpur, Qadir Bux Pathan said that he had cultivated two acres sunflower crop but SRSO had provided fertilizer and seed of sunflower to help him in agriculture sector. Grower of Larkana said that this was first time that they had received seed of sunflower and fertilizer and expenditures to cultivate this crop. He hoped that USAID will continue this help for small growers of Sindh.