Holistic approach to develop agri sector

LAHORE: A unified approach is needed for development of agriculture sector that focuses on small farmers to combat poverty and enhance growth, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry's (FPCCI) Standing Committee on Horticulture and Agriculture Produce said on Monday.
The chairman of Standing Committee on Horticulture and Agriculture Produce Ahmad Jawad said favourable environment should be created through an encouraging price and trade regime to promote farmer investments. Private sector investments in agriculture should be encouraged particularly in areas including agri-research, human resource development, post-harvest management and marketing.
He emphasised on the development of techniques of preservation, storage and transportation with a view to reducing post-harvest losses and ensuring a better return to growers.
Jawad further said storage facilities for different kind of agricultural products must be established in the production areas or nearby places particularly in rural areas so that farmers could transport their produce to the storages houses in shortest possible time. "Establishment of cold chains, provision of pre-cooling facilities to farmers as a service and cold storage in the terminal markets and improving retail marketing arrangements in urban areas, may be given priority," he added.
Jawad called for setting up agro-processing units in the production areas to reduce wastage, especially of horticultural produce, increase value addition and create off-farm employment in rural areas. He said the government might also formulate an integrated plan of augmentation and management of water resources. Similarly, special attention might be given to development of new crop varieties, particularly of food crops, with higher nutritional value through adoption of bio-technology, he added.
"Hybrid seeds and disease-free planting materials of improved varieties, supported by a network of regional nurseries, tissue culture laboratories, seed farms may also be promoted to support systematic development of horticulture," Jawad said.