‘Focus on agri sector to alleviate poverty’

LAHORE: The next government should focus on agriculture sector to reduce poverty, unemployment, increase exports and foreign exchange. It should also give respect to farmers and overcome water crisis.

These views were expressed by the speakers at Jang Economic Session on ‘what steps are crucial for agriculture sector for new government’. The panellists were Rabia Sultan, Dr Ahmed Saleem Akthar, Nadeem Quraishi and Rana Ehtesham Rabbani. The session was hosted by Sikandar Lodhi.

Rabia Sultan said agriculture sector was not in priorities of the past governments due to which long-term policies were not made as a result the sector failed to play its due role in economic growth. She said new government should not make cosmetic arrangements for agriculture. It should take effective steps to improve agriculture sector, she said and stressed agriculture experts and scientists should be included in policy making. There should be a mechanism to implement policy to double agriculture productivity in five years. She called for extending research to protect crops from climate change.

Dr Ahmed Saleem Akthar said a national level agriculture commission should be made for ensuring implementation of agriculture policy. He said productivity differs in an area due to seeds, pesticide and fertiliser quality. Only 23 seeds are certified while farmers’ cost of production has increased due to expensive imported seeds. There is no pesticide manufacturing factory in Pakistan. All pesticides were being imported. The new government should give soft loan for joint ventures and local pesticide producers to reduce production cost, he suggested. He asked for adopting modern agricultural marketing by establishing cold storages and supply chain system. He said farmers’ education was crucial for increasing agricultural exports to produce quality products.

Nadeem Quraishi lamented on ignoring agriculture sector by successive governments and lack of certified seeds. He said the government should work with international companies for seed development and provide equal opportunities to local and international firms. He called for ensuring water and electricity availability for the farmers for timely sowing of crops and adopting modern techniques in expansion of agriculture research. He said agriculture sector’s issues could be resolved by including its stakeholders in policy making.

Rana Ehtesham Rabbani said increasing storage capacity and ensuring price of agriculture produce according to the cost of farmers is the responsibility the government. He said unfortunately farmers were not treated well and given respect. He said farmer’s respect was crucial for agricultural growth. He said ‘Babu’ culture hinders legislation on food safety projects. He said rural urban migration can be stopped by providing facilities in villages likewise Japan.