PESHAWAR – In a bid to improve the socio-economic status of the flood-affected farmers, the government has distributed free agricultural inputs including vegetable seeds and fertilizers among 1734 affected farmers of Dir Upper. It is expected that this scheme would benefit the farming community and also will increase the crops productivity in the district. Malakand Development Program (MDP) stated that the district administration in collaboration with Malakand Development Programme and Agriculture Department, distributed free agricultural inputs including 1734 bags of DAP fertilizer and quality seeds of Maize, Tomato, Cabbage and Turnip among the farmers of Kohistan, Bari Kot, Shringal, Kalkot, Patraak and Doag Darra union councils. District Officer Revenue (DOR) Dir Sub-Division Irshad Khan distributed vegetable seeds and fertilizers among the farmers at model farm service centre in Dir Upper. The last year catastrophic floods have affected most of the agricultural land in the area and many farmers were unable to rehabilitate the land and grow vegetables on their own due to high prices of agricultural inputs. Therefore, the government has started provision of agricultural inputs among all those farmers who are already registered with Model Farm Services Center. The provision of seeds and fertilizers would help small farmers to produce and supply agricultural products during off-season, thus contribute towards their livelihood. Addressing at the ceremony DOR Irshad Khan has said that rehabilitation of agriculture sector and livelihood in the area was the top priority of the Government and this scheme was initiated to rehabilitate the socio economic condition of the affected farmers. He also asked upon the growers to utilize the inputs properly and help the government`s efforts in enhancing the crop productivity. District Director Agriculture Uzair Khan, District Development Officer MDP Mushtaq Ahmad, President Model Farm Service Center Mohammad Nazir and representatives of the farming community also speak on the occasion.