NNational Assembly Special Committee on Agricultural Products, on Thursday, presented a comprehensive draft of Terms of Reference (TORs) to give a boost to agriculture in the country.
It is probably due to the special interest of the NA Speaker that the Lower House has decided to elevate the agricultural transformation agenda to the highest possible level for the first time. This has been done through a Special Committee on Agricultural Products.
The TORs are said to empower the committee to overhaul the industry with a particular emphasis upon increased productivity, value addition, exports, diversification of markets and development of modern agro-based food industries.
The said agenda enables the committee to uplift and empower small-scale farmers and female workers in the sector through enhanced access to finances; services; information and technology; markets and insurance schemes.
In line with the inclusive and sustainable development agenda, the TORs include fast-tracking progress on national food security; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); climate adaptation; gender equality; sustainable production and productive use of water.
It may be pertinent to mention here that Speaker Asad Qaiser had formed a Special Committee on Agricultural Products.
The speaker was elected as Chairman of the Special Committee, which included former speakers Syed Fakhar Imam and Dr Fehmia Mirza.
The committee has a broad-based representation of all the provinces; leading political parties and women.
The Speaker also formed a working group headed by Imam to formulate TORs for the Committee, which convened on Thursday.
Members of the Working Group unanimously stressed upon the need for an enabling policy environment to facilitate dialogue; policy coherence and coordination with the federating units and national and international agencies.
Convener Imam highlighted that sustainable food production and agriculture had an immense potential to deliver inclusive economic growth and generate decent employment opportunities.
He also stated, “The main Committee will look at the TORs presented by the working group and add whatever is possible.”
The committee underscored that decades of neglect and lack of policy attention, investment, innovation and synergies in the agriculture sector had shrunk Pakistan’s share and competitive advantage in the international markets.
Members of the Working Group stressed upon the need for science and tech-enabled interventions, innovation and research to boost the production capacity and quality of agricultural products.
The TORs talked about adapting governance to new challenges and enhancing the capacity of the national institutions engaged in agricultural development.
Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research Chairman, Rao Muhammad Ajmal; Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce, Shandana Gulzar Khan, and the National Parliamentary Taskforce Convener on SDGs, Riaz Fatyana, were also present on the occasion.