Giving farmers access to technology termed challenge

ISLAMABAD: Giving people associated with agriculture sector an access to the latest technology is a challenge, calling for more investment, said a minister on Wednesday.
Around 80 million Pakistanis are linked with the agriculture sector and there is need to develop the sector on modern lines, said Sikandar Hayat Bosan, federal minister for national food security and research, addressing an event.
Organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in collaboration with the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), the two-day event was attended by around 200 farmers from across the country.
Bosan lauded the FAO’s efforts for successfully creating a network that provides an opportunity to farmers as well as scientists to get together and share their experiences and knowledge.
“Agriculture is directly related to food security and the world would become a peaceful place if this sector is promoted,” he said.
Various organisations, including PARC, provincial research organisation and non-governmental organisations are playing their due role for the development of country’s agriculture sector, he added.
FAO Country Representative Patrick T Evans appreciated the farmers’ interest in the event and sharing of their experiences.
Evans said FAO is actively working with Pakistan and various world organisations for improving nutrition and food security. However, he added that strong efforts are needed to achieve this goal.
Evans also stressed the need for providing the women equal opportunities and access to the resources to ensure they take equal part in the development.
Chairman PARC Dr Iftikhar Ahmad said the development of farming community is literary the development of the country.
Speaking to the visiting farmers, Dr Ahmad said they should share their experience with their counterpart to modernise the sector.
“This platform provides an opportunity to the farming community to ensure their voice reaching to the parliament where the policies related to the agriculture development are prepared,” he added.
Director General National Agricultural Research Center Dr M Azeem Khan offered farmers, who have displayed their products at the event, to put their products at PARC’s shop for a year-round display.
Meanwhile, the federal minister inaugurated the FAO Publication ‘Women in Agriculture in Pakistan’ at the event.
The publication focuses on the means of enhancing economic impact of women’s work in agriculture, the value of promoting socio cultural factor, policy and institutional strategies to promote income-generating activities for rural women farmers.
Members of PARC Dr Munir Guraya, Dr Shahid Masood, spokesman at PARC, Sardar Ghulam Mustafa and others spoke on the occasion.