I am happy to know that the Ministry of Food, Agriculture & Livestock is holding a Formers' Convention in Islamabad. I shall be happier still if the occasion is used by the Ministry to establish a relationship of trust and confidence with organisations representing farmers of all levels.
We are taking all the possible measures to make up for the past neglect of agriculture, for Pakistan's economy is still dependent on this life-giving field of activity.
The contribution that farmers are making to the economy by bringing about self-sufficiency in food and providing raw material for 65 per cent of the country's exports must be publicly acknowledged.
The fact is that investment in agriculture and livestock has vast potential and assures a reasonable rate of return, besides creating employment opportunities and contributing to the growth of the economy.
Our government is determined to encourage such investment and is prepared to provide the necessary incentives.
I hope that through interaction the convention will enable the participants to identify issues and take decisions to solve the problems of the farming community that are bound to crop up during the sessions.
Farmers and policy-makers should focus on evolving strategies to upscale the production of food grains and of cash crops like cotton, for both are imperative for a healthy agricultural economy.
Key areas like quality in productivity, commercial aspects of agriculture/ imports substitution, income diversification and export expansion must receive due attention.
Let me add here that our government's poverty alleviation programme for the rural areas can receive a real boost if the public and private sector operate, in tandem and prevail upon farmers' associations, chambers of agriculture, village co-operatives, NGOs and the civil society to co-operate for achieving its targets. The primary need is to create awareness about it.
This year we hope to make the budget allocation for agriculture bigger than ever before, and I shall expect the convention to throw up useful suggestions about new areas where money can be fruitfully spent.
I wish the convention all success.
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