Governor for Sino-Pak collaboration to address food security challenge

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman on Wednesday highlighted the need for collaboration between China and Pakistan in the field of agriculture and research to meet the challenge of food security.

He was addressing as chief guest the online forum on “China-Pakistan Agricultural Products Processing Cooperation and Exchange”. It was jointly organised by Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and KP-Board of Investment and Trade.

The forum underscored the importance of agriculture cooperation under CPEC Phase II. During the course of discussion, the forum emphasized the significance of agriculture for food security and as a contributing factor for the Sustainable Development Goal of food security.

Addressing the session via video link, Shah Farman highlighted the agriculture friendly ecosystem and said that the environment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was fit for agriculture growth and biodiversity.

He mentioned that KP was blessed with best weather cycle and biodiversity where the agriculture outputs were all organic. He highlighted that Sidr honey produced in KP was of the best quality with only 6-9 percent sugar contents, which was very rare.

Shah Farman added that Mianwali and Bhakkar districts in Punjab and Lakki Marwat, Karak and Kohat district in KP had huge potential for the production of Sidr honey.

The governor said, “We are working on a qualitative olive plantation and a task has been given to the Agriculture and Forest departments.”

He said that KP has huge potential for production of olive, fresh and dry fruit, Sidr honey and saffron. “We are ready to start these initiatives through cooperative farming,” he added.

He said that Chitral was the most suitable place for the production of saffron in KP.

The forum was attended by key stakeholders in the fields of olive, honey, tea, tobacco, livestock and dairy, fisheries, and potato processing from both sides.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, Chairman CPEC Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Industries and Commerce Abdul Karim Khan, Secretary Agriculture Mohammad Israr and CEO KP-BOIT Hassan Daud Butt also delivered their speeches in the online forum.