Agricultural sector indispensable: minister

Says financial inclusion being enhanced to boost exports

ISLAMABAD:

Minister of State for Industries and Production, Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi said all possible steps are being taken to enable rural development-driven economic growth.

During the closing ceremony of a five-day international training course on productivity gainsharing in agribusiness enterprises on Friday, he said, this is being done by enhancing financial inclusion in the agriculture sector to boost productivity and exports. The event was jointly organised by the National Productivity Organisation (NPO) and Asian Productivity Organisation (APO). The APO is a union of 21 Asian countries working to promote socio-economic development in the region. Its members include Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, The Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

The minister said that the agricultural sector is indispensable for the country’s economic growth, food security, employment generation and poverty alleviation particularly at the rural level.

“The government is closely monitoring key crops, devising policies and planning interventions to ensure uninterrupted supply of basic food items at affordable prices in the country,” said Qureshi, adding that he looks forward to enhancing the productivity of the agriculture sector based on mutual learning, as well as exhibiting how APO member countries can work together for innovation and development.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2023.

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