ISLAMABAD - Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research on Saturday said that agriculture sector is back in focus because of the agriculture transformation plan.
“Agriculture has been off the table for 22 years, but I’m so happy that agriculture is back in focus because of the agriculture transformation plan,” the minister said while addressing the meeting of the Economic Advisory Council in Islamabad. 
The ministry suggested interventions to bridge the yield gap including seed sector reform, digital subsidiary management, water efficiency, farmers’ access to credit, revamping extension services, post harvest storage and restructuring research institutions. Alongside which parallel interventions such as Agro-ecological zoning, international cooperation, cluster fruit and vegetable farming, storages and food processing were suggested as well. It was also pointed out that collaboration with China by being a part of a value chain and breeding of seed varieties is planned. 
The minister said that with the proposed interventions wheat is expected to increase 41pc, rice is to increase 40pc, cotton is to increase 65pc, maize is to increase 40pc, and sugarcane is to increase 22pc, while other crops are to increase 30pc in yield.