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n Pakistan, about one fourth of the total cultivated area is barani (rainfed) while in Kohat division it encompasses more than 60% of the area. The per capita income of the barani farmers in most of the areas is low, because of insufficient availability of water and other constraints on resource utilization. Thus, to improve the quality of life of barani farmers through increasing their farm productivity and stabilizing their income, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with Asian Development bank launched a Barani Area Development Project (BADP) at Kohat in 1993 which attained the status of Barani Agricultural Research Station Kohat in 1999.

The agriculture in dryland/barani areas is quite different and much complication than irrigated areas, because it totally depends on nature. The efforts of BARS Kohat are mainly meant to supplement the research endeavors of various research organizations in the province. The primary objective of BARS Kohat, since its inception, has been multi-disciplinary and goal oriented research on specific problems of barani agriculture. It is our pleasure to mention that BARS has made commendable progress during recent years to meet the goals and came up to the expectations by evolving high yielding, drought resistant varieties of wheat and millet, oil seed and extending soil and water testing facilities to the farmers and other agencies. In addition to research activities, BARS has developed effective production technology which is being disseminated to farming community through research cum demonstration trials, fields days, training and workshops and developing linkages with Extension and Animal Husbandry Departments, SRSP etc. This report has been published to provide information about the activities and achievements made by BARS Kohat during the year 2009-2010. It envisages the physical progress of seven different disciplines including findings of research and adaptive trials at the station as well as on farmer’s fields.