ISLAMABAD, Sep 5 (APP): Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired a meeting on Agriculture sector at PM Office here Tuesday. The Prime Minister was briefed by Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan and senior officials of the Ministry regarding overall outlook of the sector, achievements of the Ministry and challenges faced by the agriculture sector.
The Prime Minister was briefed that presently the agriculture sector is contributing 19.5 percent to the GDP of the country and around 42 percent labor force is employed in the sector. Agriculture in the country provides 57.5 percent share in the total exports and growth rate of the sector remained 3.46 percent in FY 2016-17.
The Prime Minister stated that agriculture being the mainstay of our economy, the government aims at sustainable growth of the sector. The Prime Minister directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to work on a policy framework for putting in place optimal methods for ensuring food security in the country. The Prime Minter also directed the Ministry to bring the issue of current low investment in the sector as compared to the pre-devolution scenario before the CCI so as to ensure allocation of greater resources to the sector by Provincial governments as well as the Federal Government.
Proposals to increase productivity and crop diversification, keeping in view the local demands and meeting various other challenges including climate change should also be part of the framework along with promotion of Research and Development functions of various organizations of the Ministry in line with international best practices. As a bottom line, the State must ensure a fair return to farmers for their efforts by adopting sustainable policy framework.
The Prime Minister stated that small farmers should be the focus of our agriculture policy so as to provide maximum facilitation.
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