Message from Secretary (MINFAL)

I extend my congratulations to the scientists and staff of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council on its Silver Jubilee Celebrations and 25 years of success in agricultural research.
The overarching goal of agriculture development strategy is poverty reduction, food security and export competitiveness through science based improvements in agriculture productivity and profitability at farm level. The major policy initiatives taken by the present Government involve repositioning of agriculture to achieve high growth trajectory and poverty reduction goal through: (i) productivity enhancement and food security; (ii) efficient use of scarce water resources; (iii) diversification to high value agriculture; (iv) improved access to agriculture support services (research, extension, marketing, etc) and inputs including credit; (v) public-private partnership; and (vi) other policy interventions aimed at improved living conditions of the rural people.
Since 2004-05, MINFAL has initiated a series of reforms of the agriculture sector institutions with the objective to strengthen the agriculture research and extension system and allow decentralisation and liberalisation of agriculture markets and services. In the area of agriculture research, adequate funding and effective autonomy of the national agriculture research system in general and that of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council in particular as well as coordination of research at the international, national and provincial levels constitute major areas of reforms.
Similarly in agriculture extension, reforms measures are being developed to improve research-extension linkages. Organisational mandate of Agricultural Princes Commission (APCom) is being redefined to allow it to play a more meaningful role in policy planning and strategic priority setting for agriculture, and monitoring and analysis of WTO related issues in agriculture. A new market-based wheat policy is in place, key elements of which include free wheat marketing, guaranteed minimum price to producers, and affordable and stable prices for consumers through prudent management of strategic and operational reserves by the Government.
To support agribusiness development in the livestock sector, a National Livestock Policy has been prepared and related development activities are underway for development of agribusiness activities and supply chain. These policy objectives are supported through investments in agricultural infrastructure and institutions. The size of PSDP allocation for agriculture has increased from Rs 0.3 billion in 1999-2000 to about Rs 12 billion in 2006-07. To fill in the resource gap in agricultural sector investment needs, additional allocations are being provided to provinces and federal agencies through multilateral and bilateral assistance.
One of the key achievements of MINFAL has been to help reform and strengthen the key institutions, necessary to achieve and sustain the high agricultural growth trajectory projected for 2015. In this context, restructuring of PARC and Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) into efficient and productive institutions with ability to respond effectively and quickly to emerging challenges in agricultural sector. At the Occasion of Silver Jubilee, I congratulate all the scientists and staff of PARC for demonstrating development and dissemination of high yielding technologies which helped achieve food security and improve quality of life in rural Pakistan.