CPEC set to modernize agricultural sector: Moin ul Haq

BEIJING: Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin-ul-Haque has said that the second phase of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would focus on increasing agriculture cooperation between the two countries as part of the socio-economic development strategy.

He was addressing a two-hour-long webinar on China-Pakistan Agricultural Cooperation and Prospects organised by China Economic Net (CEN). The online event was attended by ministers, senior government officials and experts from the two countries.

In this regard, Haque said, a special working group on agriculture was established in March this year and plan of action has been discussed between Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for implementing a large number of joint projects.

“Modernising our agriculture sector is a priority for the government of Pakistan,” he added.

Haque said that Pakistan can make optimum use of China’s achievements for future agriculture development schemes to address weaknesses and develop the agriculture sector.

Pakistan, he said, has a strong agriculture base which contributes more than 80 per cent of the GDP and employs more than 30pc of the country’s labour force.

The Pakistani ambassador said that agriculture cooperation was also extensively discussed in the recently held meeting in Hainan wherein cooperation was stressed in areas like production of quality seeds, enhancing the productivity of various crops, strengthening the agro-based industry to bring more value addition, manufacturing pesticide and setting up cold chain networks.

“We also discussed capacity building, transfer of technology and establishment of research institutes,” he added.

Haque further informed that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also held an exclusive meeting with the Chinese ambassador in Islamabad in September to discuss cooperation in the field of agriculture.

It may be mentioned here that China is also helping Pakistan to set up a pest disease and control centre in Karachi.

Acknowledging China’s unprecedented success in combating poverty, he said, bringing more than 700 million people out of poverty is a miracle in recent time.

Pakistan, he said, will like to learn from Chinese experience as it is important for its own quest for poverty alleviation.

He proposed to organise another forum to discuss the linkage between poverty alleviation and agriculture.