Islamabad: (Parliament Times) Meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security & Research (NFSR) was held at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad. Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, MNA/Chairman, NA Standing Committee on NFSR presided over the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Chairman, NA Standing Committee on NFS&R said that Pakistan having huge potential in agriculture field which needed to be exploited for the progress of the country. Appreciating the PARC initiatives for agriculture development, he said that his committee would take every possible step to help promote PARC and consequently agriculture research culture.
On the occasion, Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan, Federal Minister for M/o NFS&R said that Govt. of Pakistan Committed to boost agriculture sector and there are several areas where PARC can focus its research activities and that would ultimately result in the development of agriculture sector all across the country, adding that the country having potential and can perform better. The Federal Minister also briefed the participants of the meeting about the comprehensive plan for development of agriculture sector by the present Govt. in line with Prime Minister’s Task Force on Agriculture. Listing targets, the minister
said that all goals are achievable and every effort will be made by the ministry in this regard and International experts will be engaged to set up new facilities and upgrade existing modern research institute while extension services at all level.
Dr. Munir Ahmed, Chairman, PARC said that the government should give agriculture a top priority as it is the backbone of country’s economy adding this sector not only absorbs major labor force but also works as backup industry for several other industries. He said that
as compared to other regional countries, government spending on agriculture was minimum in Pakistan and despite this, the agriculture sector is producing promising results. At the end of the meeting, the members of NA Standing Committee on NFSR also visited the field areas of National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) where research is being carried out. In the visited areas, Wheat & Canola Crops, Solar Energy Pumps and NIGAB Labs were also included.
