Young Farmers Open Letter Entry #4: Sadia Bano, Pakistan

I am Sadia Bano, a highly motivated individual with a real desire to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable sectors of society. Presently, I am looking for an opportunity to utilize my experience in agriculture.

I studied pre- and post-harvest management in agriculture. It was tough traveling hundreds of kilometers, notwithstanding the hurdles of social and family difficulties. Nevertheless, I finally completed my degree. Right after graduation, COVID-19 hit the world, crashing the job market badly.

Amidst the crisis, I volunteered to conduct a household profiling for a farmers’ organization for six months, pro bono. While working as an intern, I realized my potential in agriculture, not to mention my degree. I started with organic and traditional agriculture practices including pruning and grafting while doing some pre-harvest management in view of protecting the trees.

One major farmers’ issue in my village is pre- and post-harvest losses especially for fresh fruits – reaching up to 40% specifically for apricots. Having an academic background on this issue, I started working on means to minimize the pre- and post-harvest losses. I visited every household and share knowledge with them on simple yet effective methods.

Through this letter, I am appealing to the Agriculture Department for support such as access to projects that would expand my initiative on educating the farmers on pre- and post-harvest management. This will help underprivileged women farmers who are also suffering from the impact of COVID-19.

It is my honor to request assistance because I believe that this will benefit women and men farmers, their families, and society.

Sadia Bano
Pakistan