Chairman China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Lt. General (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa met Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar in Islamabad to discuss the status of Agricultural Projects running under the CPEC.
During the meeting, agricultural Projects, opportunities and challenges under the CPEC were discussed in detail.
Present Government is focusing on developing the agriculture sector on modern lines to improve the livelihoods of small farmers and enhance its contribution in the national economy noting that agriculture constitutes the largest sector of economy.
Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar told the Chairman CPEC that agriculture is one of the major components under CPEC and both countries have in this respect formulated long term plan which includes increased yield/production of major agricultural commodities.
He further told that development of Cold Chain System, storage, transport, infrastructure, construction, disease prevention and control with focus on establishment of Foot and Mouth (FMD) free zones.
Benefits gets Pakistan from CPEC includes improved yields through superior seeds, mechanisation of farms as well as introduction of drip irrigation technology on a wider scale, increased use of formal credit systems for agri-lending, and greater documentation of the rural economy and especially its land registries.
Chairman Lt. Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa assured that all the efforts will be utilized in order to complete these projects well on time for the best interest of the economy of Pakistan.