ISLAMABAD: President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik Monday stressed the need for renewed collaboration and public private partnership to accelerate food production to offset the ever increasing impending threat of food insecurity in the world.
Speaking as a chief guest at the annual rice dealers conference held under aegis of Guard Agriculture Research and Services, he said global food security is at a tipping point and large portion of global population is hungry today than 2015. He said the role of public private partnership is improving global food security.
He said the prime objective of public private partnership is to use market mechanism to improve Agri food systems, thereby reducing food insecurity and advancing rural development.
He said rice is the second most important crop of Pakistan which promise economic prosperity for growers and helps earn billions of rupees through its export.
Iftikhar Ali Malik said Pakistan is the 10th largest producer and the 4th largest exporter of rice. He said Pakistan’s export make up more than 8% of the world’s total rice trade.
He lauded the four decades long efforts of guard Agri research and services division for introducing 11 government approved new varieties of hybrid rice for commercial cultivation.
Former President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Shahzad Ali Malik who is also Managing Director Guard Rice speaking on the occasion said “we are the pioneer in developing extra long grain varieties in Pakistan” and established 5 research stations all over the country in rice growing areas one each at Golarchi, Larkana, Muridkey, Pakpattan and Lahore for conducting latest research in evolving new varieties braving heat resistance, drought and salinity tolerance.
He announced “we have also successfully introduced two tomato and chilli each hybrid varieties “and will soon launch in Pakistan after approval from government. “We are again the first in Pakistan for introducing hybrid wheat and conducting extensive trails every year”, he added.
Shahzad Ali Malik said, “we are earning foreign exchange for Pakistan for exporting guard rice which he added are in great demand globally”.