Govt, Pakistan Army to promote modern agriculture to meet food needs of growing population n Officials say establishment of LIMS is first exceptional initiative to ensure food security n As part of the scheme, new canals will be built to store floodwater.
ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday inaugurated the Land Information and Management System- Center of Excellence (LIMS – COE). Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir was also present on this occasion.
According to officials, the Land Information and Management System (LIMS) is an unprecedented project of the government of Pakistan and the Pakistan Army to promote modern agriculture, whereas the establishment of LIMS will help revolutionise the agriculture sector in the country.
LIMS is the first comprehensive government initiative for the development of the agricultural sector in the country's history, an official source said. The main objective of LIMS is to reduce domestic agricultural imports, increase exports and meet the food needs of the growing population.
Land Information Management System will also be helpful in enhancing food security of the country. The establishment of LIMS will provide farmers with simultaneous access to information on climate change, satellite crop monitoring, water, fertilizer and spray focus areas and direct access to markets.
Under Land Information Management System, it will be possible to increase agricultural production by using modern technology on uninhabited and low-yielding agricultural lands This revolutionary institute will work on land, crops, weather, water resources and pest control under one roof.
Proper use of various resources and reserves, modern technology and irrigation system will bring such development in agriculture which will meet the shortage of food in every region of the country. Based on information and analytics, it will be easier to identify difficulties, obstacles and challenges, find appropriate solutions and take informed decisions.
Due to this programme, job resources will also be created for the people in the country whereas the LIMS objectives also focus on to rehabilitate waste and uncultivated land.
Many projects are being partnered with Saudi Arabia, China, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain, which will definitely increase Pakistan’s exports. Moreover, new canals will be built to store floodwater, and modern irrigation techniques like modular drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and pivot irrigation will be implemented in this regard.
The ceremony was also attended by Ministers of Finance, Defence, Planning Development & Special Initiative, National Food Security & Research, Information, Chief Secretaries of Provincial Governments, agricultural experts and Senior Army Officials. According to the world food programme, 36.9pc of Pakistanis are food insecure and 18.3pc of these are facing severe food crisis. Cognizant of the prevailing food insecurity, mass malnutrition and widening import bill of agri related products vis-à-vis projected population growth and future domestic food needs, the national political, economic and military leadership has decided to undertake the decisive and meaningful steps to address this critical issue. Establishment of LIMS is the first exceptional initiative, aimed at enhancing food security and improving agri exports thus reducing import burden on national exchequer by transforming millions of acres of uncultivated/ low yield land within the country. This state-of-the-art system will help optimise the agricultural production through innovative technologies and sustainable precision agricultural practices based on agro-ecological potential of land, while ensuring well being of rural communities and preservation of environment.
The GIS based LIMS will greatly improve the national agri yield by systemizing digitization of agriculture, providing real time information to local farmers about soil, crops, weather, water resource and pest monitoring through remote sensing and geospatial technologies as well as minimising the role of middlemen through efficient marketing system.