Chinese technology will take Pakistan’s agriculture production to new heights: Food Minister

Faisalabad: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam has said that Chinese technology will take Pakistan’s agriculture production to new heights.

Addressing an online workshop jointly organized by University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF) and Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS), the minister pointed out that modern agriculture technology must be trickled down to the farmers so that they could enhance per acre yield in addition to switching over to value addition.

Syed Fakhar Imam told the participants that Iron Brother China was fully supporting Pakistan’s aim to multiply the agriculture production.

“We must switch over to high-value crops to secure space in the global food market. We have to learn from the experiences of the other countries like China. The collaboration will China will bring the tangible results to address the problems of the farming community,” he commented.

Imam informed that this year Pakistan had substantial increase in the production of three major crops. “This year, per acre wheat production had boosted up which was stagnant for the last ten years, resulting in the significant increase of 2.2 million ton in the national wheat production. He said that it was increased by 1.5 ton per acre. We had harvested a bumper wheat crop of 27.5 million tons, while rice and maize production also stood at around 8.5 million tons each,” he elaborated.

The minister mentioned that the production of cotton in Punjab was touching 4.5m bales at an increase of approximately 8.5 per cent from last year. Overall cotton production is likely to reach 8.46 million bales, he added.

Imam said that provision of certified seed, value addition and mechanization was one of challenges in which agriculture experts should play their pivotal role.

He underlined that the country was producing the excellent fruit but export was the negligible. “The value addition and the adaptation of the international standard are prerequisite to enhance our exports,” he opined.

UAF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan on the occasion pledged that all institutions will work on the establishment of the commercial tissues culture facilities in Pakistan.

“We will also work on commercialization of tissue culture, development of varieties adapted to indigenous needs and climatic conditions. These institutions will also explore other crops for cooperation and will conduct joint academic and research activities,” Professor Khan maintained.

He admitted that the Pakistani agriculture was in the grip of different challenges despite the being of the best eco system, climate and others. “We have to switch the modern trends and reach out the farming community. Effective measures are being taken at the government level to stabilize agricultural development and increase production per acre,” he remarked.

Vice Chancellor MNSUA Dr Asif Ali in his speech said joint collaboration will help uplift the agriculture sector for the food security. He emphasized that agriculture sector was the backbone of our economy that was directly liked to poverty alleviation.

Arid Agriculture University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman stressed upon the need to learn from the experiences of other nations. He apprised the participants that all efforts were being made for the agriculture development.

Agricultural Commissioner, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Dr Gu Wenliang appreciated that the Pakistan and China were enjoying excellent ties and the collaboration will produce tangible results for the agricultural development.

On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also inked among five institutions one of China and four from Pakistan to promote technology transfer and cooperation.

The institutions include Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology of CATAS, China, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), MINSOL Consultant (Pvt) Limited, Pir Meher Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, and MNS University of Agriculture (MNSUA) Multan. As per agreement, MINSOL will strive to viably commercialize the products developed in collaboration with other parties.

Professor Dr Jafar Jiskani, Dr Aman Ullah Malik, Dr Rahid Waseem, Dr Muhammad Azam, Dr Gu Wenliang Agriculture Official of China, Dr Li Kaimian Vice President of CATAS, Chen Yixi from China and other notables spoke at the event.