NA starts exclusive debate on Pakistan’s agro-economy today

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly of Pakistan will initiate an exclusive debate on Pakistan’s agro-economy from Wednesday (today).

The Speaker National Assembly on Tuesday said that agriculture is and would remain central to Pakistan’s economic development in the foreseeable future and it was vital to hold an informed debate to identify the pathways for uplifting Pakistan’s agro-economy with a particular focus on access, inclusivity, sustainability and food security.

The Speaker urged the members of the treasury and opposition benches to discuss agro-economy as a matter of national food security, decent economic growth and poverty alleviation beyond party politics.

On the other hand, Speaker Asad Qaiser convened a National Dialogue on Agriculture on March 12 at a local hotel which shall be attended by members of the Parliament, representatives of the provinces, private sector, international organisations, ambassadors, technical experts and other relevant stakeholders.

The dialogue being organised with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is intended to facilitate an informed debate in the National Assembly and promote policy coherence and coordination at all levels of government.

The National Dialogue on Agriculture aims to identify the constraints and obstacles which continue to impede progress in realising Pakistan’s full agricultural potential. The Dialogue is part of the endeavors of the National Assembly Special Committee on Agricultural Products to assist in accelerating the national agricultural growth rate.

Outlining the aims of dialogue, Asad Qaiser stated that policy dialogue, coherence and coordination was vital to building political momentum for necessary reforms and policy shifts in the agriculture sector of Pakistan. He further added that dialogue was convened to identify short and long-term policy measures to effectively address structural constraints & market failures.

Asad Qaiser, who heads the National Assembly Special Committee on Agricultural Products, underlined the need for improving farmers’ profitability, improving national agricultural output and identifying the pathways for enhancing Pakistan’s agricultural export value and competitiveness.

The Speaker has invited experts, relevant international agencies, practitioners and officials from around the country to deliberate on agriculture. Asad Qaiser vowed that the National Assembly will orchestrate meaningful debates on all other national priorities in the days ahead.