AVN Correspondent
LAHORE: On the direction of the chief minister, the Punjab Agriculture Commission will focus on modernizing agricultural research in the province through collaborations with agricultural universities and research institutes.
This was stated by Punjab Minister of Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, who was presiding over the first meeting of the newly-formed commission which focused on developing a comprehensive plan to strengthen the province’s agricultural sector by engaging with all stakeholders.
During the meeting, members of the Agriculture Commission shared their expertise on agricultural development and strategies to address farmers’ issues.
Those who attended the meeting included Finance Minister Punjab Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Provincial Assembly Members Rana Ayaz Saleem, Usama Khan Leghari, Rana Ijaz, and Ishrat Ashraf, along with Secretary of Agriculture Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, Secretary of Livestock Muhammad Masood Anwar, Secretary of Agriculture South Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel, and Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad Dr. Iqar Ahmad Khan.
Mr Kirmani said that reactivating the Agriculture Commission aims to prioritize and resolve farmers’ challenges, adding that the government is promoting agricultural mechanization by introducing green tractor schemes and transitioning tubewells to solar power to lower production costs for farmers.
These initiatives primarily target small farmers, who manage up to 12.5 acres of land and represent 90pc of the farming community, he added.
The minister announced an internship program to employ 1,000 agricultural graduates within the agriculture department for one year.
Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said that the commission serves as the primary platform for agricultural consultations in Punjab, making critical decisions on government policies related to agriculture.
Sahoo noted that last year, the agriculture sector saw a record 6.5pc growth, contributing a 2.3pc increase to the country’s GDP. The current administration is committed to allocating substantial resources for agricultural development and will form various committees within the commission to effectively address farmers’ issues, he added.
