Rural economy: ‘High input costs, lower farming productivity’

Farrukh Javed said the agriculture sector was facing a host of complex challenges including low productivity

FAISALABAD:

Minister for Agriculture Farrukh Javed on Monday said the agriculture sector was facing a host of complex challenges, including low productivity, high costs and climate change.

He said the challenges posed a threat to food security.

He was chairing the 39th senate meeting of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad at New Senate Hall as the governor’s nominee.

The minister said the government had devised a plan to improve agricultural production. He said the agriculture sector was the backbone of the economy and contributed 21 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

He said poverty alleviation was directly linked to the agriculture sector. He said it was imperative that agricultural output be increased.

He said it was unfortunate that Pakistan had been unable to tap into the international market for halal meat.

“India is earning foreign exchange worth billions of rupees by exporting halal products to Malaysia,” he said.

He lauded the steps taken by the UAF for the development of the agricultural sector and enhancing the trained manpower.

UAF Vice Chancellor Iqrar Ahmad Khan said rural development was directly linked to the agriculture sector.

He said the UAF had initiated 42 new demand-driven programmes in order to produce more trained manpower.

He said a centre was being set up at the campus with the help of China in which Chinese cultural and language programmes would be offered.

He said the university had also set up the Centre for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security at a cost of Rs30 million.

He said centre focused on research on climate change, biotechnology, precision agriculture and policy-making.

He said the university housed a satellite unit of German-funded International Centre for Development and Decent Work (ICDD) to fight hunger and poverty through research and education.

Registrar Muhammad Hussain conducted the proceedings. The meeting approved the budget presented by treasurer Umar Saeed. It also approved a non-development budget of Rs2,951 million. The development budget for the university from the federal government stands at Rs346 million and Rs800 million from the provincial government.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2014.