ISLAMABAD:Chairman Pakistan Hi Tech Hybrid Seed Association (PHHSA) Shahzad Ali Malik Sunday stressed the urgent need for renewed collaboration and public private partnership to boost agriculture production to offset the ever increasing impending threat of food insecurity in the world.
Talking to a delegation of progressive farmers led by Mian Faiz Bukhsh, he said global food security is at a tipping point and large portion of global population has been 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.
Shahzad Ali Malik said Pakistan is the 10th largest producer and 4th largest exporter of rice.He said Pakistan’s export make up more than 8% of world’s total rice trade.
He said “Guard Agricultural Research Division is 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 the latest research in evolving new varieties braving heat resistance, drought and salinity tolerance.
He announced that “ we have also successfully introduced two tomatoes and chilli each hybrid varieties “and will soon launch in Pakistan after approval from the government. He further disclosed that “ we are again the first in Pakistan for introducing hybrid wheat and conducting extensive trials every year”.
Shahzad Ali Malik said “we are earning foreign exchange for Pakistan for exporting guard rice which he added is in great demand globally”, he concluded.