ISLAMABAD:Chairman Pakistan Hi Tech Hybrid Seed Association (PHHSA) Shahzad Ali Malik Thursday said that agriculture development is one of the most powerful tools in the world to end abject poverty, boost shared prosperity and feed a projected 9.7 billion population by 2050.
In a press statement, he said that agriculture sector is backbone of the economy, which provides the basic ingredients for human consumptions, raw materials for other products and meets industries requirements.
He said increase in agricultural production and the rise in the per-capita income of the rural community, together with industrialization lead to an increased demand in industrial production.
He said various under developed countries of the world engaged in the process of economic development and have learnt that the limitations of putting over emphasis on industrialization as a mean to attain higher per-capita real income.
The agriculture development makes a critical contribution to overall economic growth in many developing countries, adding that increased agricultural production also leads to enhanced demand for processing facilities and provide employment opportunites.
He urged for adopting innovative technologies, high quality seeds in order to enhance per-acre crop output, particularly staple food including rice, maize, wheat and sugarcane for maintaining food safety and security in the country.