Provincial Minister for Food, Bilal Yasin has said that Punjab is grain house of the country and its farmers grow wheat, cotton, sugarcane and other crops for 20 crore people of the country. Lands of the province are fertile and help meet food requirements of the entire country, he added. He said that with a view to this useful role of the farmers, government has given organized Kisan Package under which, process of taking steps for the welfare of farmers’ community is continuing. He stressed upon the need to control increasing population so that Pakistan could be made a developed country of the world.
He expressed these views while addressing as chief guest technical session of a ceremony held at a local hotel in connection with World Food Day 2016. Bilal Yasin said that government has taken important steps for increasing per acre yield and ensuring availability of irrigation water for the crops. He said that for this purpose, field staff of Agriculture and Irrigation departments has been bound not to spare any effort for welfare of farmers. Government is making efforts for ensuring availability of agri implements and fertilizers including pesticides for the farmers, he added. Similarly, livestock will be promoted in rural areas, which will improve country’s economy and the youth will become able to earn their own livelihood instead of chasing government jobs.
Earlier, Provincial Minister for Finance, Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha while addressing the inaugural session of a seminar under the aegis of Punjab Food Department on World Food Day said that eradication of poverty and unemployment is necessary for ensuring access of common man to quality food. For this purpose, Punjab government is promoting public-private partnership so that maximum job opportunities could be created and CPEC will prove to be a revolutionary step in this regard, she added. The Minister said it is necessary that besides increasing production capacity, we should also aware the mothers to give food full of vitamins and nutrients to their children. Universities and the institutions working for the welfare of women and children can render this service, she added.
Finance Minister said that the main causes of food shortage in Pakistan are less per acre yield, more production cost, shortage of quality food and unemployment. She said that Kisan Package is an important step of the government for resolving these problems. She said that subsidy given on pesticides, electricity and water can result in resolving big problems of the small farmers. She said that besides monitoring basic food ingredients for ensuring adulteration-free, such programmes are being evolved with the collaboration of UNICEF and other international institutions as could assist in provision of safe and healthy food to 60 percent people facing food unsafely.
Agri experts, agriculture welfare organizations, farmers and a large number of students were present on the occasion.