Al-Moazzam

The Al‑Moazzam Group consists of five smallholder farmers from the Kasur region, aged between 25 and 46. Across their households, they support 23 dependents, including 16 children. Of these children, seven are infants or developing basic skills, while the remaining nine are currently enrolled in education.

Moazam Naveed Ahmad, 27, is one of the group members. He has a wife and three children, all boys. Two children attend school, the youngest one is still an infant. His wife handles domestic responsibilities. Moazam Naveed Ahmad works approximately five acres where he plants wheat during winter months and rice in summer. He estimates his yearly farming profit at around £1,110. Additionally, he grows assorted vegetables to feed his family.

The Al-Moazzam Group continues to use conventional farming techniques. Rice seedlings get transplanted by hand, a slow and physically demanding process. When harvest arrives, workers cut paddy straw manually with sickles, making the work lengthy and inefficient compared to contemporary methods. Sometimes the farmers hire a combine harvester or cultivator, but rental fees eat into their earnings. The group already possesses a tractor and now seeks to modernise their cultivation approach. They have applied for financing to buy a disc plough and a rotavator. The disc plough will assist with soil preparation before planting, while the rotavator will handle various soil tasks such as mixing, pulverising, puddling, and leveling. Group members anticipate that this machinery will boost efficiency and enhance overall output. They intend to settle the loan through three equal payments made every six months.