Pakistan and China to improve food security situation

Pakistan has offered work together with China and other regional countries to improve food security situation and reduce poverty.
Addressing the regional conference of the Asia Co-operation Dialogue (ACD), Minister of State for Food and Agriculture Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said, Pakistan is prepared to share scientific knowledge and technologies and also exchange scientists and farmers to overcome food shortage.
The conference, hosted by Chinese government was participated by Agriculture Ministers from 20 Asian countries.
Bosan hoped that the regional countries would join hands alleviating poverty and improving livelihood of the people. Pakistan, he said would welcome their co-operation in all sectors of agriculture including crops, livestock, poultry, fisheries and conservation of natural resources.
His country, the Minister added, would also like to share plant-breeding programmes on rice and cotton production with China and other countries for increasing per acre yield.
The minister also underlined the need of intensifying international co-operation to enhance agriculture productivity to ensure food security and rural development.
Presenting a detail review of the country's agriculture policy and food security programmes, Bikandar Bosan said Pakistan's agricultural production system is poised for major transformation in productivity and quality of the products.
The policies are designed to liberalise trade in all segments of agriculture for an increased role of private sector.
Bosan drew the attention of the participating countries attending the conference towards the major issues, being faced in the agriculture sector.
These include water shortages, substandard agricultural technologies and lack of financial resources.
He said the farming communities in some developing countries are unable to make investments, reaping good yields of crops and livestock. As a result, the productivity gapes are growing up, leading to vicious cycle of poverty, hunger and mal-nutrition.
Bosan said that the withdrawal of required support by public sector has put the farmers at the mercy of market forces. The situation is further complicated by marketing distortions due to lack of proper infrastructure and transport facilities, he added.
Pakistan's delegation at the conference included ambassador Riaz Mohammad Khan.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and China have agreed to enhance bilateral co-operation in the agriculture sector, particularly for improving per acre yield of various crops.
Various proposals to this effect were discussed at a meeting held here between the visiting Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, Minister of State for Food, Agriculture and Livestock and Du Qinglin, the Chinese Minister for Agriculture.
It was decided that the two sides will exchange visits of their technical experts to develop co-operation for production of hybrid rice and cotton. The Chinese side showed its willingness to provide technical assistance to Pakistan for the development of the agriculture sector.
It was proposed that the two countries should undertake join ventures for rice cultivation and food reprocessing.
China may also help Pakistan by providing farm machinery for crops threshing. The Chinese minister assured that they would consider issuing quarantine certifications for importing foods products from Pakistan including kino, rice and dates.
It was noted that the quarantine certificate for the import of Pakistan mango has already been issued.