ISLAMABAD
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan Thursday said that Pakistan and Brazil needed to work together closely in order to exploit considerable potential of cooperation that existed in a range of agriculture areas for expanding and strengthening bilateral agricultural ties.
The minister also said that Pakistan could emulate the success of Brazil in Zero Hunger and School Feeding Programmes for ensuring future food security for the burgeoning population of Pakistan. The minister was talking to Alfredo Leoni, Ambassador of Brazil to Pakistan, after the latter called on the minister here.
The two dignitaries agreed on widening the scope of mutual sharing of information and knowledge in diverse fields of agriculture. Both sides discussed the possibility of exploring new opportunities for launching joint ventures in different sectors of agriculture particularly in livestock and poultry. The minister said that Pakistan could benefit from the experience of Brazil in developing new ways of feeding, transporting, and marketing poultry products to further expand and modernize the poultry industry. Both dignitaries resolved to expedite the finalization of pending Technical Cooperation Agreements that would open up avenues of cooperation in multiple areas of agriculture between the two countries.

During the course of meeting, the minister also apprised about his recent visit to Brazil where he held fruitful meetings with officials of EMBRAPA (Agriculture Research Organization) and Ministry of Agrarian Development and exchanged expertise and information on scores of agriculture related matters.
The minister expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality accorded to him during his visit.
Referring to the School Feeding Program of Brazil, the minister said that he would soon launch a similar program as a pilot project in his village by utilizing the experience of Brazil.
Both dignitaries also resolved to lift up bilateral agricultural trade which was much below the actual potential at the moment.
Both dignitaries agreed to make concerted efforts to find ways and means to enhance bilateral relations and create better understanding and stronger ties.
Seerat Asghar Secretary MNFSR, Malik Zahoor Ahmad DG NAHPIS and other high officials of the ministry were also present in the meeting.