Govt sets sights on high-yield farming

Federal minister wants affordable fertilizer made available to growers

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam has said that bringing reforms and sustainability in the agriculture sector is among the present government’s top priorities.

The federal minister said this while chairing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on the agriculture transformation plan. The meeting reviewed measures for improvement of the agricultural sector, sowing targets of wheat, prices and availability of fertilizers.

The meeting was attended by National Food Security Federal Secretary Tahir Khursheed and chief secretaries of the four provinces, who briefed the federal minister on the steps being taken to implement the government’s transformation plan.

The federal minister was informed in the briefing that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) system for the agriculture sector, including extension services, will provide relief to the small farmers.

A worker of the extensions services will be available in every union council for the convenience of the farmers.

While appreciating the progress in Punjab, federal minister Syed Fakhar Imam remarked that the agriculture sector was one of the top priorities of the incumbent government.

He expressed that the government has oriented its agricultural policies to provide maximum relief to the farmers and transform the sector into a high-yielding economic entity.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan’s packages will be completed in time on the priority basis,” he said, stressing that government measures need to be further strengthened to ensure the availability of fertilizers and keep their prices within the reach of farmers.

The provincial fisheries secretaries also briefed the federal minister on the upgradation plan of the fisheries sector.

Imam directed the provincial secretaries to fast-track the planning and execution of the plan.