Islamabad: Ambassador Blome has said agriculture is cornerstone of Pakistan’s economy and United States and Pakistan have and will continue to broaden and deepen our cooperation and collaboration across this important sector.

I am delighted to join you in celebrating Pakistan Agricultural Development project, $ 20.9 million dollar US Department of Agriculture-funded initiative with wide array of impressive accomplishments.

Together, we provided 63,000 farmers with training on using Good Agriculture Practices. We introduced new production techniques and improved post-harvest storage and processing. And we established model plots with select farmers and private sector services providers to demonstrate benefits of these practices. Additionally, we created jobs for 600 women in Khairpur and Sindh through establishment of three date-pitting centers. Pakistan Agricultural Development grants enabled farmers to build high-efficiency drip irrigation systems, tomato processing unit, cold storage facilities and banana packing houses. And through marketing and credit programmes, project strengthened commercial linkages with both upstream and downstream businesses.

These accomplishments align perfectly with objectives of US-Pakistan ‘Green Alliance’ framework. Through ‘Green Alliance,’ our countries are working together to increase agricultural productivity and farmers’ incomes, while also preserving soil and water resources.

Agriculture is cornerstone of Pakistan’s economy and United States and Pakistan have and will continue to broaden and deepen our cooperation and collaboration across this important sector.

In addition to Pakistan Agricultural Development programme we celebrate today, scientists from USDA and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research joined forces to develop biopesticides specifically for Pakistan’s growing conditions. Together, we are finalizing regulatory framework to allow marketing of eco-friendly crop protection products. And we are providing farmers with tools to use fertilizers more efficiently.

With KP’s Sustainable Development Unit, we are training women farmers, building irrigation schemes and partnering with Food and Agriculture Organisation to sustain alternative livelihood opportunities in newly merged districts of KP.

USDA endowments established more than 20 years ago at five Pakistani institutions continue to fund research and training in agriculture. And we will continue to explore additional opportunities to promote sustainable agricultural practices, improve productivity and reduce environmental footprint of agricultural sector-including effective water management, efficient fertilizer, smart irrigation, methane abatement and 21st century tools, techniques and technology. These innovations create jobs, lower costs, reduce pollution and strengthen Pakistan’s climate resilience.

As Americans, we know critically important role that farmers play in our societies. President Biden likes to say, farmers are backbone of our country and it’s not hyperbole-you feed your communities, your country and world.

United States and Pakistan are both working to offer farmers, ranchers and foresters’ new revenue streams, help farmers adopt climate-smart agricultural practices and give them more market options and fairer prices.

We know that Pakistan’s broader economic challenges have acute impacts on agriculture. Farmers face continually rising production costs and fluctuating climatic and growing conditions. At same time, increased food production is essential to meeting demand as Pakistan’s population continues to grow.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 01 2024

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