ISLAMABAD
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (NFS&R), Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said on Friday that concerted efforts were being made to improve farm level practices and develop linkages of farmers with markets and industry.
“We are committed to increase the existing productivity to ensure better returns to farmers,” the minister said while addressing at “Pakistan Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2015” here.
He said that the agriculture sector has traditionally sustained a satisfactory growth to ensure food security of country’s growing population, however added that the major challenges faced have been low returns to the farmers for their commodities because of higher costs of production.
“So this calls for well-thought intervention to improve value addition to agriculture products at farm levels and creation of industrial linkages,” the minister remarked.
He said that government was focusing to develop mechanisms for minimising cost of production to increase farmers’ interest in agriculture and livestock.
The government would provide required infrastructure support to agro-processors with the aim to enhance value addition and job opportunities for growing young population, he said. The minister however highlighted the importance of developing new products and technologies to promote agriculture sector.
He said that as per the government policies, the rural youth will be supported in acquiring the new skills for setting agro-based businesses for improving household livelihood.
Under the Prime Minister’s Youth Loan Programme, the areas like livestock, horticulture, and fisheries as well as non-farm sector would benefit and this would result in overall economic betterment of rural masses and generate raw material for our growing food industries, he observed.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad said that investment in agriculture sector would definitely reduce poverty from the country. “One dollar generated through agriculture income is more effective in eradication of poverty than two to three dollars earned from other sectors,” he said while giving a detailed presentation on state of agriculture in Pakistan.
He was of the view that when rural income increases by 5pc percent, the income in urban areas automatically goes up by 8pc percent. So there is need that proper attention is given towards the development of agriculture sector, particularly the livestock to rid the country of the menace of poverty. In his address to the conference, Mission Director, USAID Pakistan, Gregory Gottlieb said that his country was committed to work with Pakistan for the promotion of agriculture sector. He said that US has been looking for opportunities to help make Pakistan’s future bright.
Later, the Chief Organiser of the conference, Hassan Murtaza Khan took the dignitaries on visit of various stalls exhibiting agriculture products and machinery. The stalls were set up by various farmers and organizations including NARC, PATCO etc.
The two-day ‘Pakistan Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2015’ was organised by KMK Global Limited where as being the apex body in agriculture research in the country, PARC will facilitate the events.
The conference was attended by high officials from the Ministry for Food Security and Research, PARC and National Agriculture Research Center (NARC).