Al-Jameel Group

Four smallholder farmers aged 29 to 52 make up the Al-Jameel Group in the Kasur region. Across their households, they care for 16 dependents, including 11 children. Of these children, five are either infants or developing foundational skills, while six are enrolled in education.

Muhammad Jameel, 52, is among the group members. He has a wife and four children — two boys and two girls. One of them attends school, and the others are learning skills. His wife handles domestic responsibilities. He works approximately five acres where he plants wheat during winter months and rice in summer. He estimates his yearly farming profit at around £1,000. Additionally, he grows assorted vegetables to feed his family.

The Al-Jameel Group continues to rely on conventional farming methods, and uneven field surfaces remain one of their most persistent challenges. Irregular land causes water to pool in low-lying patches while higher areas stay dry, leading to uneven crop germination and considerable wastage of irrigation water. During rice cultivation in particular, poor water distribution across the field forces farmers to apply more water than necessary, driving up costs and reducing yields. Wheat sowing is similarly affected, as seeds planted on uneven ground struggle to establish uniformly, resulting in inconsistent plant growth and lower harvests.

The group already owns a tractor and has been working to modernise their farming operations step by step. Having previously acquired tillage equipment, they now seek to address the core issue of land preparation. They have applied for financing to purchase a laser land leveller. This implement uses laser-guided technology to grade and flatten the field surface to a precise, uniform level. By ensuring even distribution of irrigation water across the entire field, the laser land leveler is expected to significantly reduce water consumption, improve seed-to-soil contact, and promote consistent crop growth from one end of the field to the other.

Group members are confident that this investment will lead to measurable improvements in both input efficiency and overall crop output. With better-leveled land, they anticipate lower irrigation costs, reduced labour time spent on water management, and stronger yields of both wheat and rice. They intend to settle the loan through three equal payments made every six months.