Stressing the need to introduce modern technologies and latest techniques to get quantum leap in the agricultural production, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday said the government is encouraging corporate farming on public-private partnership basis in the country to increase production and productivity of agriculture and livestock sectors.
The Prime Minister was chairing a meeting this evening to review progress on corporate agricultural farming (CAF) for meat and milk production. The meeting was attended by Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Sikandar Hayat Bosan, Minister of State for Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Muhammad Ali Malkani, investors, farmers and senior government officials.
Shaukat Aziz said the government is focusing on increasing and diversifying exports. In this respect it is exploring new avenues to increase productivity and add value in the agri business, which is the backbone of our economy, he added.
The Prime Minister said livestock has significant potential for poverty reduction and employment generation and overall economic uplift of the rural areas. It can significantly contribute to export enhancement, if adequate support and incentives are provided to investors, he added.
He said the government would help provide latest technology to the farmers to augment their income and increase production of meat and milk in the country. Shaukat Aziz emphasised the need for public-private partnership and said that will help attract the much-needed capital in the agriculture and livestock sector.
It will also lead to introduction of modern farming methods, technology up-gradation and better returns for investors, the Prime Minister added. The representatives of provincial governments said all provinces have passed necessary laws for corporate agricultural farming, the policy and institutional arrangements are in place and a number of big investors have indicated interest in CAF for major investments in large dairy and meat farms.
The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock made a presentation highlighting the need and potential of corporate agricultural farming in meat and dairy sector.
They said while the demand of livestock products is increasing at a fast pace, the present level of production is unable to meat the demand that has made it important to increase the production on scientific basis.