Integrated approach towards ensuring food security stressed

Islamabad : Chairperson, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, Dr. Muhammad Azeem Khan has called for an integrated approach towards ensuring food security in the country.

Dr. Azeem was addressing a webinar on “Ensuring Food Security in constrained economic situation of Pakistan” organised here by Sustainable Development Policy Institute.

Dr. Azeem said that food security is directly linked with the national security and we need to improve the quality of our agricultural products as well as exploring climate change-resistant crops to boost our trade in this sector.

Scientific research and use of technology as joint public-private ventures is imperative to respond to new challenges,” he said while stressing the need for contextual production and improving the seed system to counter the rust attack and pests. Dr Hamid Jalil, Member Food Security, Climate Change and Nutrition, Planning Commission, highlighted the fact that food security requires a long-time plan and thus, his ministry made a National Food Security Agenda which outlines the long-term policies of food security.

He said that we are seeking a team of expert to regulate all the existing bodies. Besides, bringing reforms to make our production more sustainable, revamping agriculture research, cotton revival programme, disease eradication, and facilitating smallholder agriculture sector are some of the focused areas, he concluded.