50% Pakistanis are attached with agricultural sector

Islamabad: Pakistan is an agricultural country; as 50 per cent of its population attached with this sector there is need to induct new technologies to more from this sector said Dr. Imtiaz Muhammad, AIP project leader/ country representative, CIMMYT, Pakistan.

While talking to ‘The News’ Dr Imtiaz Muhammad said that at least 50 per cent of Pakistan’s population derives most of its income from farming, processing and or marketing of agricultural products. Yet agriculture contributes just 21 per cent of the country’s GDP and is growing at 1.5 per cent, compared to 5.8 per cent growth in the overall economy.

Talking about the Agricultural Innovation Programme he said AIP is led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and features active collaborations with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the World Vegetable Centre (AVRDC), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the University of California – Davis and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC).

He said Agricultural research for development (AR4D); principles are being used to foster a demand-driven, results-oriented science research community to ultimately increase the contribution of agriculture to Pakistan’s GDP, thereby aiding overall economic growth and poverty alleviation within the country.

Dr Imtiaz Muhammad said that the long term goals of the project are food security, environmental protection, gender sensitisation and poverty reduction through the adoption of sustainable technologies, resource management practices, advance agricultural models and improved systems.

He told that AIP is focusing on the changes in immediate and intermediate outcomes through the alteration of knowledge, behaviour and organisational strength of key agricultural sector players which are smallholder farmers, input suppliers, researchers, scientists, with particular concentration on women and youth.

He said in order to achieve sustainability and efficiency in production and delivery of products and services, the project has adopted collaborative mechanisms in which public organisations and private entities share resources, knowledge, and risks.