Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain on Thursday reaffirmed commitment to rural transformation in order to promote agriculture sector for the development of local economy as well as to attain social prosperity in the country.
\nThe minister is on an official visit to Rome where he is leading Pakistan\u2019s delegation at the 49th Session of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
\nThe session brought together ministers, development partners, financial institutions, private sector representatives and youth entrepreneurs to deliberate on rural transformation, sustainable agriculture and innovative financing for smallholder communities.
\nOn the sidelines of the Governing Council, the Minister held a detailed bilateral meeting with IFAD President Alvaro Lario, said a press release received here today.
\nThe discussions centered on the progress of IFAD-funded projects in Pakistan, future areas of cooperation and Pakistan\u2019s continued engagement in IFAD\u2019s replenishment cycles.
\nRana Tanveer Hussain reaffirmed Pakistan\u2019s firm commitment to strengthening its long-standing partnership with IFAD and extended a formal invitation to the President to undertake an official visit to Pakistan.
\nPresident Lario fondly recalled the signing of the bilateral Home Country Agreement in July 2023 and the subsequent establishment of IFAD\u2019s Home Country Office in Islamabad later that year.
\nHe appreciated Pakistan\u2019s historic role as a founding member of IFAD and conveyed his interest in visiting Islamabad in the near future to further deepen collaboration.
\nThe meeting also reviewed Pakistan\u2019s expanding portfolio with IFAD, which now exceeds $1.2 billion.
\nBoth sides expressed satisfaction over the steady implementation of projects under the current country strategy, which focuses on rural development, poverty reduction, food security and climate resilience across all provinces.
\nThe Minister noted that IFAD-supported initiatives are reaching some of the country\u2019s most remote and underserved areas, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, South Punjab and other marginalized regions.
\nDuring his engagements, Rana Tanveer Hussain also welcomed the forthcoming visit of IFAD Executive Vice President Mr. Donal Brown, expected in March.
\nMr. Brown recalled his previous interactions with Pakistani leadership and expressed his intention to continue close coordination with Pakistan on future development initiatives.
\nAt the high-level roundtable marking ten years of the International Day of Family Remittances, the Minister highlighted Pakistan\u2019s position among leading remittance-receiving countries.
\nHe emphasized the Government\u2019s efforts to promote financial inclusion and channel remittance flows into productive sectors, particularly agriculture and small and medium enterprises.
\nSpeaking at a thematic session on investing in young entrepreneurs, he underscored the importance of connecting farmers to markets and creating opportunities for rural youth through value chain development and agribusiness support.
\nPakistan\u2019s partnership with IFAD dates back to 1978. Over the decades, the Fund has financed 26 projects and programmes in the country with a cumulative portfolio of over $ 2.3 billion, including government and co-financing contributions.
\nAt present, four major projects are under implementation, aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity, supporting women through asset transfers and livelihood schemes, expanding irrigation and market access in mountainous areas, and graduating vulnerable households out of poverty through integrated support programmes.
\nThe Minister observed that IFAD\u2019s community-driven model has been particularly effective in empowering rural women, strengthening smallholder farming systems and promoting climate-smart agriculture.
\nHe reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to fulfilling its obligations under IFAD replenishments and looks forward to designing new-generation initiatives, including proposed climate-focused interventions, in close coordination with the Fund.
\nRana Tanveer Hussain\u2019s visit reflects Pakistan\u2019s continued engagement with Rome-based UN agencies, including IFAD, FAO and WFP, and the Government\u2019s resolve to advance inclusive rural growth, ensure food security and build resilience in the face of climate and economic challenges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain on Thursday reaffirmed commitment to rural transformation in order to promote agriculture sector for the development of local economy as well as to attain social prosperity in the country. The minister is on an official visit to Rome where he is leading Pakistan\u2019s delegation at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":530927,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-530916","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n