A meeting on Sub-group of the Economic Advisory Council was chaired by the Minister of National Food security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam and SAPM on Food Secrity, Jamshed Cheema in Islamabad on the 18th of May, 2021. The meeting was attended by SAPM on Finance (Dr. Waqar Masood), Advisor to the Chief Minister Punjab on Economic Affairs (Dr. Salman Shah), Executive Director of SDPI (Abid Sulehri), CEO of Pedavar (Asif Sharif), Ghulam Ali Pasha and senior officials from the ministry.
In the meeting it was decided as to how the subgroup will coordinate steps into a consolidated plan regarding the Agriculture Transformation Plan (ATP)’s Phase 2, identify gaps and issues and develop a clear objective so that the Federal and Provincial Governments are on the same page. Restructuring of the Economic infrastructure of PASSCO and Provincial Food Departments was suggested. It was discussed that farmers and growers are to be facilitated regarding farm to market access while reducing the role of the middlemen. It was suggested that an information system is required to upkeep the progress of the ATP. The use of IT is crucial to connect grower to the market and phase 2 of the ATP calls for the inculcating of advance technology for faster, better progress. Provision of subsidies for farmers in seed, fuel, tools and marketing was agreed upon.
The Minister spoke about the importance of research in the agriculture sector and its transformation to the farmers to maximize potential and outcomes. The Minister added that the ATP should focus on cotton in phase 2 as well to revive and make cotton a key crop in Pakistan again. He added that cotton specific subsidies in seeds, pesticide and fertilisers will help cotton growers in Pakistan. The Minister also signified the dire need of an extension system so that exchange of information is fluid between farmers and research institutions.
The SAPM pressed upon the importance of Marketing for the ATP to be effective. He also unraveled the plan to build storages to store only farmers’ produces. He said that the training of farmers for better output is necessary and can be done by bringing together farmers and providing extension services from the ATP.
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