National and global changes, unstable oil prices, sky rocketing food prices, trade deficit and natural disasters are serious challenges for Pakistan's economy. Its population is increasing geometrically and food production is increasing arithmetically.
Addressing one day workshop on "value chain in deferent foods" organised by National Institute of Food Science & Technology (NIFSAT) at University of Agriculture, here on Monday, Dr Shoukat Pervez, Chairman, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Islamabad (PCSIR) said that Agriculture is the main source of income for about 66% of the rural population and key to poverty reduction as well as national food security.
Dr Shoukat maintained that low investment in R&D, Physical infrastructure and fluctuation in Agricultural Trade and Prices are the major stresses for global food chain. These stresses are being escalated through population growth, food contamination and recalls, counterproductive farm subsidies and trade policies as well as food wastes, he added.
He also enlightened the role of PCSIR which has been very significant in the socio-economic development of Pakistan since its inception 1953 with a net work of 18 research institutions/laboratories in 8 cities where over 3,000 scientists, technologists and other staff are engaged in undertaking scientific research for utilisation of indigenous raw materials for development of industrial processes.
Earlier, Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad while addressing to the participants said that value chain management has become the buzz word all over the globe. He expressed his concern over 25 - 40% post harvest losses of food and horticultural corps, which can be minimised through value chain management. He added that UAF is striving hard for outreach activates by adopting technology transfer mechanism.
Dr Khan urged the Food & Agri. Scientists to devise the innovative production packages for the farming community in order to minimise the losses by connecting them with value chain management right from farms to dinning table. He added that Pakistan has to play pivotal role in trilateral trade agreement between Afghanistan, India and central Asia countries transit trade by adopting value chain management system.
Professor Dr Faqir Muhammad Anjum, Director General (NIFSAT), UAF highlighted that significance of workshop and said that the aim of value chain is to realign the agri-food chain to the end consumer where the emphasis is on value creation and innovation. He also added that value chains create opportunities for businesses to meet the challenges and to accelerate the pace of innovative processes particularly in current environment.
Dr Anjum maintained that it has been estimated that 80-90% of the fresh fruits, vegetables and other commodities are sold during the production season just after harvesting thereby driving the value of the products down. He stressed the need to introduce and strengthen the concept of value chain management especially in food sector in Pakistan. A large number of scientists from all around the country as well as Deans, Directors, Administrative staff and students of UAF attended the workshop.
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