ISLAMABAD, Oct 29 (Alliance News): Considering the agriculture sector’s paramount importance, already identified as a priority by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives has intensified its efforts to execute agriculture-related projects.
In the current fiscal year, several projects worth billions of rupees were allocated for the agriculture sector under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP 2023-24) to tap huge potential in the agriculture sector, according to the Planning Ministry.
Pakistan has vast potential for foreign investment in the field of agriculture as the country is a semi-industrialized economy with a well-integrated agricultural sector that contributes 22.9% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and creates 37.4% of jobs, ensures food security and provides raw materials for industries.
While gearing up the efforts, the Planning Ministry asked the ministries concerned to accelerate the implementation so that the projects could be completed timely, especially at a time when the SIFC took the lead and agriculture was the top priority besides the other key sectors.
The SIFC was established earlier this year to attract foreign and local investments while targeting five key areas which include Agriculture, Defence Production, Mining/Minerals, Information Technology and Telecommunication and Energy.
The projects include Cage Culture Cluster Development Project, Commercialization of Potato Tissue Culture Technology in Pakistan, Establishment of consumer-sourcing seed authenticity system and Strengthening of Labs of FSC&RD; Establishment of Plant Breeders Rights Registry and Strengthening of DUS Examination System; Establishment of Seed Certification Services in Southern Balochistan; National Oilseed Enhancement Program; National Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR) Eradication Programme: Phase 1 – Risk Based PPR Control In Sheep and Goats of Pakistan; National Program for Enhancing the Command Area in Barani Areas of Pakistan; National Program for Improvement of Watercourses in Pakistan – Phase II; Pilot Shrimp farming Cluster Development; Productivity Enhancement of Rice; Productivity Enhancement of Sugarcane; Productivity Enhancement of Wheat, Promoting Research for Productivity Enhancement in Pulses, Promotion of Olive cultivation on commercial scale in Pakistan – Phase II; Promotion of Trout Farming in Northern Areas of Pakistan; Sino-Pak Agricultural Breeding innovations Project for Rapid Yield Enhancement; Water Conservation in Barani Areas of KP; Locust Emergency and Food Security Project; Mainstreaming of MARC for the promotion of high value agriculture in Gilgit-Baltistan; Pakistan- Korea Joint Program on Certified Seed Potato Production System and Professional Capacity Building in Agriculture TVET National reforms programe.
Prime Minister’s Initiatives for Green Revolution 2.0 worth Rs 5000 million is a landmark project initiated to address the key constraints to the productivity of agriculture.
The government emphasized on promotion of technology to reduce post-harvest losses, value addition for grain, fruits and vegetables, productivity enhancement of major crops, engagement of women and youth in agriprenure, agri-business and to promote and support agricultural research.
It is noted that the Green Revolution played a key role in the country’s economy back in the 1960s while saving millions of people from famine.
Under this initiative, it will contribute to the national economy.
Pakistan’s potential to export food products is limited by strict international standards.
Keeping in view the significance of fruits and vegetables a “Horticulture Support Program” is another project being started at Rs1000 million to address the key constraints to horticulture crops.
This project has been designed to reduce on-field and post-harvest losses of selected fruits & vegetables and to integrate and strengthen horticultural value chains by demonstrating of value-adding technologies at every step of the value chain through public-private partnerships.
Similarly, another project “Prime Minister’s National Programme for Solarization of Agricultural Tubewells in Pakistan” worth Rs 377,017m is being started to convert 100,000 numbers of tube wells, including 50,000 numbers of diesel and 50,000 numbers of electric tube wells into solar through this scheme across Pakistan in three years.
Furthermore, the government has already established a Land Information and Management System, Center of Excellence (LIMS-CoE) to improve modern agro-farming by utilizing more than 9 million hectares of uncultivated state land.
The main goals of the center included consolidation and reclamation of uncultivated wasteland, optimal decision-making regarding what and where to grow, creation of a master plan for modern farming, adoption of state-of-the-art agriculture management practices, the practice of agro-intelligence for digital and precision agriculture, better utilization of cutting-edge technology to enhance yield, and effective decision support system.
The GIS-based LIMS will greatly improve the national agri-yield by systemizing the digitization of agriculture, providing real-time information to local farmers about soil, crops, weather, water resources and pest monitoring through remote sensing and geospatial technologies as well as minimizing the role of middlemen through the efficient marketing system.