ISLAMABAD:Chairman Pakistan Hi Tech Hybrid Seed Association (PHHSA) Shahzad Ali Malik on Thursday urged the need to focus on the promotion of the agriculture sector to reduce reliance on imported edible commodities to save precious foreign exchange reserves.
He said the year-long Russia-Ukraine conflict which disrupted the global supply chain also badly hit the fragile economies of developing countries including Pakistan.
He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of progressive farmers, which called on him, said a press release issued here.
Ali Malik said that Pakistan was blessed with plenty of natural resources and deposits which must be fully exploited through good governance coupled with wisdom-based prudent decisions in the larger national interests, adding that agriculture plays a crucial role in the economy of developing countries, and provides the main source of food, income and employment to their rural populations.
He said in many regions including Europe, North America, Australia and recently Brazil, China and India, growers have also become skilful at raising yields by using inputs like fertilizers, pesticides and organic manures. He said that in many poorer countries with low productivity rates and growing populations, agriculture continues to expand into marginal and fragile lands.
He said “agriculture is the backbone of the national economy” which he stressed now must be strengthened on modern scientific lines for achieving food autarky by using the latest means of technology for bumper crops. He said entire arable land be brought under cultivation and the use of hi-tech hybrid seeds must be made mandatory by implementing a complete ban on non-certified seeds across the country.
He emphasised that the government must encourage the private sector to help evolve new varieties of hi-tech hybrid seeds for cotton sugar cane and other crops.