ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan Tuesday stressed the need to improve agriculture production system on scientific lines to enhance sustainable food production and to meet present and future demands for food in the country.
"This can be done by adopting innovative agricultural practices, improved technologies and sustainable soil management techniques", the minister said addressing a day long seminar on Public-Private Partnership to Manage Soil Fertility in Pakistan.
The seminar was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) and the US Department for Agriculture (USDA) here.
Sikandar Bosan said the Government was working closely with agricultural scientists, international partners and farmers to propagate agriculture-research and bring innovations at the doorstep of farmers across the country.
This will not only improve the livelihood of vulnerable poor population but will be a step towards securing food security in the country, he added.
He said today, Pakistan is the 8th largest food producing country and 5th largest producer of milk.
However, Pakistan like other developing countries facing challenges in expanding its agricultural outputs to ensure future food availability for the rapidly increasing population.
He said using this platform, work together to ensure balanced use of fertilizer and expand the scope of this initiative to Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Balochistan, AJ&K, Gilgit-Baltistan and FATA.
He said the excessive use of fertilizers has created unfavorable balance of nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in the soils.
This imbalance in nutrients, he said has emerged as a major contributor in the decline and degradation of crop production and soil fertility in the country.
Talking on the occasion, FAO representative to Pakistan Patrick T. Evans shared that FAO was working on a baseline atlas of current soil fertility practices, desegregated by farm size and cropping systems in Pakistan.
"The atlas will help to understand required soil fertility management changes for sustainable intensification. Consequently, appropriate balanced inputs and 4 Rs-Right fertilizer at the Right rate at the Right time in the Right place, would be promoted in partnership with private sector, including national fertilizer companies, wholesalers and retailers and farmer associations, he added.
He said a significant yield gap exists between potential and the actual yields in the country.
This presents an opportunity for increased production to ensure food security in the country.
He said the symposium would contribute to find out ways for improving and managing soil fertility by involving farmers for better nutrient management while intensifying agricultural production.
Earlier Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad in his welcome note said globally, today's challenge is to produce more and healthier food in a sustainable manner.
He said soil fertility is also a major issue in Pakistan. Proper use of fertilizers on soils of low natural fertility makes it possible to grow more and a wide variety of crops. He said many institutes reported 50% enhanced crop productivity with the use of fertilizer.
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