Prime Minister former Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk has identified low productivity, high cost of production, water scarcity and weak technology transfer linkages as some of the major challenges that need to be addressed on priority basis to ensure food security through increased production by the agriculture sector.
The Prime Minister was given a briefing on Thursday on agriculture sector and various efforts being made by Ministry of National Food Security & Research to overcome existing challenges and ensure food security in the country, besides increasing the overall contribution of the sector towards economy.
The Prime Minister suggested that Minister for National Food Security & Research (NFS&R) should work out a comprehensive plan to address the existing challenges and promote welfare of the farmers, especially the small farmers, so that the sector could be transformed into a vibrant sector of the economy.
The secretary of the ministry informed the Prime Minister that agricultural sector was contributing 18.9 percent to GDP and employing 42.3 percent of the total labor force. He was also informed that the growth rate of agriculture sector was recorded at 3.8 percent last year as compared to average rate of 2.13 percent during the past five years.
The Prime Minister was also updated on various aspects of National Food Security Policy that aims at achieving food security, promotion of sustainable food production systems and poverty alleviation. The Prime Minister acknowledged the efforts of the ministry and its attached departments towards strengthening the agriculture sector, ensuring food security in the country and promoting welfare of the farmers and agriculturists.
Those who attended the briefing were Minister for National Food Security & Research (NFS&R) Muhammad Azam Khan, Secretary to Prime Minister Suhail Aamir, Secretary NFS&R Fazal Abbas Maken, Chairman PARC Dr Yusuf Zafar and others.
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