Food insecurity a growing concern: Dutch ambassador

FAISALABAD: Dutch Ambassador Wouter Plomp has said that the agriculture sector is the most important sector as food insecurity is a growing concern due to impacts of climate change and rapid increase in population.

Addressing master trainers of a project at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad here, he said that supported by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, the project was helping increase productivity and sustainability of 950 smallholder potato growers in four districts of Punjab - Sahiwal, Okara, Kasur and Pakpattan. The project was being implemented by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) and the leading Dutch agricultural institute - Wageningen University whereas the University of Agriculture Faisalabad was the partner. He said that the agriculture subject had gained importance in order to feed the ever-growing population that may touch 10 billion by the end of this century. He said that Pakistan had great potential to promote its agriculture due to its huge fertile lands, etc. He said that the Netherland was one fifth of the Punjab, but it was the one of the top food exporters due to the latest agriculture tools, practices, and research.

UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that we had to lower down dependency on wheat and need to bring food diversification. He said that food insecurity was the area of the concern for the people and the strengthened ties with the Netherlands in the area of agriculture would bring the tangible results. He said that there was a need to learn from the Netherlands experiences. He said that the potato project was the hallmark that was focusing on woman farmers also.

Dean Social Sciences Dr Sarfraz Hassan said that the fundamental objective of the potato project was to increase productivity and sustainability of the potato crop through promotion of good agricultural practices for smallholder in the Punjab.

Director External Linkages Dr Waseem Akram said that the university had maintained good relations across the world to learn from each other experiences. He said that the enhanced ties with the Netherlands would open up new avenues of progress and prosperity.

Dr Ijaz Ashraf said that the project had identified 12 different locations in four targeted districts.

Meanwhile, addressing business community at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), the Dutch ambassador said that after corona, Pakistani and Dutch companies had started contacting each other, which would not only help increase the volume of bilateral trade, but also play a major role in reorganising agriculture on modern scientific lines in Pakistan.

He said that the Netherlands was a small country as compared to Pakistan, but it was the second largest agriculture exporting country in the world only due to its technological expertise. He said that many Dutch companies were already working in Pakistan while more are contemplating to launch their projects as vast tracts of land and cheap labour are available in Pakistan.

He said that Holland could help Pakistan in the development of its dairy sector in addition to producing high yielding potato seeds. He said that Pakistan had a very proactive commercial section in Hague and it could help Pakistani exporters in organising textile exhibitions in the Netherlands in addition to arranging direct meetings with the Dutch investors for launching joint ventures with technology transfer and branding. He said that the Netherlands had already collaborated with Engro Foods for the production of a wide range of value-added agriculture products. He said that a dairy factory had been established in Sahiwal, which was collecting milk from the catchment area in the most safe and scientific manner. He said that Pakistan was discouraging imports by enhancing regulatory duties and hence the Dutch companies would prefer to establish their units in Pakistan. He categorically condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine and said that such an unprovoked invasion was not acceptable during the 21st century. He also expressed his keen interest in the game of hockey and said that Pakistan had recently hired the services of a Dutch coach and hopefully Pakistan would re-emerge as one of the top ranking hockey playing countries.

FCCI president Atif Munir Sheikh said that although textile was an iconic representation of Faisalabad, but other sectors were also growing at a steady pace. He stressed the need to enhance the volume of bilateral trade through investment and technology transfer.