Islamabad, June 27, 2022 (PPI-OT):Former President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Dr. Shahid Rasheed Butt on Sunday said the United Nations has issued famine warnings so there is an urgent need to declare an agricultural emergency in Pakistan to save the people from starvation. Millions of people in 34 other countries are on the brink of famine and Pakistan will face dire consequences if enormous investments are not made immediately to ensure food security, he said.
Shahid Rasheed Butt said that along with wheat and sugarcane, the support price of other important crops should also be announced and incentives should be given to small farmers instead of landlords. In a statement issued here today, the business leader said that the world is facing the worst food crisis since World War II but necessary steps are not being taken due to which the prices of agricultural commodities and hunger are rising all over the world.
The government of Pakistan has not taken the steps expected in the recent federal budget as the government did nothing in the previous budget to promote the important agriculture sector. Neglecting the agriculture sector is resulting in imports worth $14 billion while the prices of fertilizers, seeds, pesticides and other are rising continuously.
No relief has been provided to the sector called backbone of the economy, which will affect the growth rate and further worsen the food security situation in the country, he warned. Mr. Butt said that agricultural loans and subsidies find their way to the pockets of landed gentry while small farmers get nothing which must be reversed to develop this important sector. The world is focusing on the use of certified seeds to increase agricultural production, but there is no check on the sale of sub-standard seeds in Pakistan, which is the reason for reduced production and the plight of farmers.
Fifty percent of the water allocated for agriculture is wasted which if saved can be used to increase the production and income of the farmers, he said, adding that concrete measures are required regarding agricultural insurance so that farmers are not affected in case of climate change and natural disasters.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Shahid Rasheed Butt
Consul General Ghana
Former President ICCI
Former Patron ICST
Tel: +92-333-5132199, +92-51-2822571