ISLAMABAD: WWF-Pakistan, in collaboration with OXFAM-GB, held a stakeholder meeting on the importance of a Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) at a local hotel in Islamabad on Thursday.
The aim of the meeting was to bring stakeholders together and discuss key challenges and opportunities in the rice sector, the implementation of a SRP in Pakistan, and creating an enabling environment for sustainable production of export quality rice at a national level.
The meeting emphasized on how the local rice exporter can play a role in integrating SRP standards, including women economic empowerment (WEE) and climate change resilience (CCR), and jointly work with government authorities.
Dr Masood Arshad, Senior Director Footprint, WWF-Pakistan said that through the implementation of SRP standard is necessary to overcome the challenges of frontline workers in this sector, especially women.
He said that the changing climatic conditions particularly rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns and floods, are adversely impacting the yield of rice crop. The engagement of all rice stakeholders at this platform will support in the development of Local Adaptation Plan of Action (LAPA) and will ultimately contribute to the development of Rice Sectoral Plan at the national and provincial levels for appropriate allocation of climate finance, he added.
Asad Imran, Director-Food and Markets, WWF-Pakistan presented an overview of the programme that led to insights for SRP implementation in Pakistan.
He also said like Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) which is a global standard for cotton, facilitate in cotton exports from Pakistan. WWF-Pakistan as an implementing partner can ensure the SRP in rice cultivation that will open gates for rice exports in the international market, he added.
He said the SRP in rice cultivation could mitigate the harmful effects of climate change and improve water management.
Syed Shahnawaz Ali, Country Director, OXFAM-GB emphasized on the need for climate smart agriculture for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. He also talked about standard certification, so that the agriculture sector in Pakistan can improve food commodity exports.
‘Through SRP, we can reduce the cost of production, improve water productivity and improve the livelihoods of local farmers’, he said and added the SRP is also a trade facilitator help the farmers to earn more and improve their livelihoods.
WWF-Pakistan and OXFAM aims to not only to provide authentic, sustainable and traceable rice cultivation, but also to link SRP rice farmers with markets through rice processing industries. WWF-Pakistan along with OXFAM-GB, rice farmers and the private sector, will work on SRP and its implementation in the field.