LAHORE    -   Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) has called for promoting corporate farming and agriculture research that will not only prove to be an in­stant solution to farmers’ financial woes but also ensure food security in the country, besides strengthen­ing the overall economy. The PBF Vice Presidents Jahanara Wattoo and Chaudhry Ahmad Jawad, and Chairman (Sindh) Mir Murad Talpur expressed these views while talking to media here Monday. The PBF Vice President Jahanara Wattoo said that last year’s flash floods had severely affected farm­ers’ community and the overall agriculture sector, and also put the national food secu­rity at risk. Agriculture sector contributed substantially to coun­try’s GDP, and farmers had always played an instrumental role in resolving every crisis the nation encoun­tered, she observed and suggested that it was necessary to implement an emergency agricul­ture programme and provide farm­ers with an instant solution to their issues. In this regard, she added, public and private sector must play their due role in making improve­ments in agriculture sector. 

Both sides should devise plans and make investments to transform the agri sectors on modern farm­ing and techniques, ensuring high yields with low water consumption and other inputs, she maintained. Jahanara Wattoo said, “Women also have great role in our agriculture and without taking them aboard, the development of this vital sector is impossible.” She also emphasized that media should raise awareness and dispel gender stereotypes ob­structing development of various sectors, which were important for economic growth. PBF Vice Presi­dent Chaudhry Ahmad Jawad said that flash floods wreaked havoc in agriculture by washing away stand­ing crops, livestock and other in­frastructures in all the provinces. Though donors organizations and the governments had provided re­lief and rehabilitation support, the agricul­ture sector needed equal opportunities and even more sup­port from the public sector. Ahmad Jawad asserted that it was becoming increas­ingly challenging to satisfy the require­ments of the expand­ing population due to obsolete farming methods, and lack of research and pro­ductivity in the agri sector. In this crisis-like situation, he suggested the government to in­crease agri-research budget, and lay a greater focus on horticulture and other modern farming methods to enhance agri produces which guarantee food security and help increase country’s agri exports. He added, “We pay a lot for food imports however we can save this money by reducing our food im­port, and spend this hefty amount to safeguard farmers and enhance Pakistan’s agricultural sector in or­der to achieve self-sufficiency.”