PESHAWAR
Panelists at a seminar have identified the gaps and challenges that were hampering uplift of agricultural sector and value chain development and demanded the effective initiatives to rip full potentials agriculture production in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and elsewhere in country to ensure food security and requirements at optimal level.
KP offers tremendous opportunities for the growth and productivity of the agriculture sector in Pakistan, given the fertility of its vast terrain, conducive weather, and favorable soil conditions, the key-note speakers said while addressing at a seminar on Agriculture Development organised by Sustainable Energy and Economic Development [SEED] in collaboration with Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry and provincial agriculture department, held here at the local hotel on Tuesday.
Notable speakers include SCCI president Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad, Secertary Agricutlure Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Muhammad Israr former president Sherbaz Bilour, chief Economist Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Business Voice, Ali Khizar, SEED Program Team Leader Dr Umar Mukhtar Khan, agriculture experts, relevant high-government officials and representatives’ stakeholders.
Traders, agriculturists and researchers across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the chamber’s members and others were also present in the seminar.
The speakers said the KP province has the potential to enhance the production of a wide variety of crops, fruits, and vegetables for direct consumption as well as feed a large number of downstream industries across the country through the development of strong value chains.
However, the participants said thus far, the lack of processing facilities and proper investment in the development of post-harvest value chains has deterred KP’s agricultural productivity from reaching its potential.
The panelists identified the obstacles in the agricultural sector included infrastructure limitations, such as the inadequacy of the prevailing transportation network, non-existence of storage and warehousing facilities close to farmlands, lack of packaging, grading, and sorting facilities, as well as standardization and certification support.
They highlighted that the farm-to- market linkages are absent, restricting farmers and growers from developing and improving their productivity in line with downstream demand. Lack of quality control, trained post-harvest labor and knowledge gaps all hinder processing potential to materialize. Limited financial resources and credit constraints further exacerbate the environment.
Hasnain Khurshid while speaking on the occasion said the aforementioned hurdles were present across most Agri commodities with great potential for growth in KP and required concerted efforts from both the private as well as the public sector.
Later, speaking the Secretary of Agriculture Department KP, Dr. Muhammad Israr, highlighted that agriculture is the key to the socio-economic uplift of the KP province as nearly 80 percent of the population depends on the sector and related industries for their income.
Earlier, in his inauguration speech, Dr. Omar Mukhtar Khan, Team Lead, SEED Programme, said: “Agri commodities in KP have incredible potential in the domestic and export markets, if properly leveraged.
