LAHORE: Four days international workshop on improving agricultural productivity through mechanization concluded here on Thursday. The international workshop was arranged by the National Productivity Organization (NPO) in collaboration with the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Japan.
International participants from APO member countries including Turkey, Mongolia, Fiji, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and Bangladesh and along with local participants attended the workshop while resource speakers were Takashi Fujimori from Japan, Isara Chaopisit from KASETSART University, Thailand, and Engr Mahmood Riaz Director Design and Development at Agricultural Mechanization Research Institute Multan, Pakistan.
The workshop was aimed at promoting understanding of the latest technologies and measures for mechanization in agriculture, policies and frameworks to support mechanization on small farms.
Farm mechanization is viewed as a package of technology to ensure timely field operations, increased productivity, reduced crop losses and improved quality of grain or product. The speakers addressing the closing ceremony of the event were of the viewpoint that it is timely to identify how Agriculture can benefit from private and public support mechanisms to attain sustainable long-term growth.
Agricultural mechanization plays a strategic role in improving agricultural production and productivity in developing countries.
Addressing the event as guest of honour, Engineer Ahmed Sohail, Director General Agriculture (field), government of Punjab said that they are working on early solution of the issues like high number of taxes and duties to facilitate agricultural sector and farmer as economy cannot grow in the presence of such issues.
Addressing the event as chief guest, Kashif Anwar, President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry lauded the role of APO in the development of Asia-pacific region and added: it was time to revitalize our commitment to achieve its vision of inclusive and innovation-led productivity growth in the region. Working in tandem with APO, Pakistan will be able to find solutions to long-standing issues of the productivity, he added.
Toshinori Mitsunanga, programme officer, APO Tokyo, Japan expressed his gratitude to the government for its efforts to continue the productivity movement and apprised the participants about the APO’s journey of success stories and major achievements in the region.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023