FAO vows to bring innovation
Caretaker Minister of National Food Security and Research Dr Kausar Abdulla Malik on Wednesday sought support of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for the capacity building of Pakistani experts in the fields of agriculture, livestock and fisheries.
Malik met FAO representative in Pakistan Florence Rolle where they discussed matters relating to agricultural development.
The minister highlighted the longstanding partnership between the government of Pakistan and the FAO, an arm of the United Nations, and appreciated the organisation for its assistance to ensure food security and promote agricultural production in the country.
He called the existing collaboration between the FAO and Pakistan to end hunger and achieve sustainable agricultural yields “very satisfactory”.
Malik emphasised that the FAO may provide training opportunities, specifically for the staff of the Ministry of National Food Security and provincial governments, to understand the wider concepts of food security.
Rolle shared the FAO’s ongoing commitment to working with the government of Pakistan at the national as well as provincial levels to provide technical and policy support.
She expressed the resolve to bring innovation, transformation and digitisation to the agriculture sector and food systems, and to reduce malnutrition.
She offered to provide vital input for restructuring the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to bring it in line with the modern international standards for better service delivery in the agriculture sector.
She agreed to join hands with the ministry in the campaign to improve the yield of soybeans to meet the growing domestic needs.
The FAO representative informed the minister that the UN organisation was already working on tackling the foot and mouth disease in animals and very soon strategies would be shared with the ministry for their adoption and implementation.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2023.
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