Digital innovation: Punjab signs MoU to boost cotton production
LAHORE: In a major step toward revitalizing cotton production in Punjab, the Agriculture Department Punjab and the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote sustainable cotton cultivation and enhance farmer incomes.
A separate service agreement was signed by Hassan Akram on behalf of FACE and Jaudat Ayaz on behalf of Ba-Khabar Kissan. The signing ceremony was held at Agriculture House, Lahore, with Punjab Minister for Agriculture & Livestock, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, attending as the chief guest. Also present at the event was Secretary Agriculture Punjab, Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, along with other senior officials from both public and private sector organizations.
Speaking on the occasion, Kirmani emphasized the significance of cotton as a key cash crop for Pakistan. “This MoU is a milestone that will support the revival and promotion of cotton production in Punjab,” he said. “Our joint efforts with BCI will help build a stronger cotton value chain and raise international demand for Pakistani cotton.”
The collaboration between the Agriculture Department and BCI will include demo plots, responsible pesticide use, farmer training, and improved irrigation practices to ensure traceable and high-quality cotton output.
As part of the initiative the Food Security & Agriculture Center of Excellence (FACE) and Ba-Khabar Kissan will launch a cutting-edge digital portal including a mobile app powered by Artificial Intelligence. This app will serve approximately 500,000 registered farmers by providing pest alerts, weather updates, and real-time monitoring of cotton-growing areas. The platform will also help identify regions with high and low productivity, aiding in more efficient planning and resource allocation.
The Minister further announced that an agricultural planning framework is in development for the next fiscal year. This framework will offer both technical and financial support to public and private stakeholders, initially targeting cotton and later expanding to wheat and other major crops.
The Secretary Agriculture reaffirmed the department’s commitment to supporting the private sector in addressing cotton sector challenges. “Adoption of modern technologies is essential, and success depends on close collaboration among all stakeholders,” he said.
The MoU was signed by Director General Agriculture (Extension) Punjab Chaudhry Abdul Hameed and BCI representative Dr Muhammad Qadeer. The event was attended by Additional Secretary Agriculture Task Force Punjab Muhammad Shabbir Ahmad Khan, Director Generals Naveed Asmat Kahloon and Chaudhry Abdul Hameed, Consultant Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali, BCI Country Director Hina Fauzia, Ba-Khabar Kissan CEO Khizar Alam, and other dignitaries.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025