Governance Issues Must Be Solved For Achieving Desired Results: Minister

Caretaker Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik said on Monday the country was well aware of all challenges related to food security and governance issues needed to be managed to achieve desired results

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Nov, 2023) Caretaker Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik said on Monday the country was well aware of all challenges related to food security and governance issues needed to be managed to achieve desired results.

He said this while addressing a round table conference at Forman Christian College here.

He said, "The country has gone through two crucial phases one is Covid and the other floods and both changed the scenario." He said that country was self-sufficient in all commodities.

The minister said that food security was governed by three 'As' that were availability, affordability and accessibility, adding that more debate was held on availability of commodities but there was also a need to understand the significance of other two areas.

He further said that no doubt climate change was a fact and could not be denied, adding that to address the issue of climate change adoption of technology was necessary. He said that he was happy that our scientists and researchers were well aware of issues of climate change and climate resistant varities were also being developed.

He said, "We are focusing on streamlining the regulatory issues."

Dr Kausar said that soyabean import issue had been solved up to 80 to 90 percent which was a big issue for the poultry industry and added that only few hitches were left which would be solved as well.

The minister said that one thing should be kept in mind that in agriculture import and export were not indication of any food scarcity. "Water conservation is very important besides judicious utilization of available water.

Efforts are being made so that small farmers could maintain proprietary rights," he added.

Earlier, FARM Scientific Director Matthieu Brun gave a detailed presentation on 'Agriculture and Food Security Cultivating Resilience in a world under constraints' followed by a question and answer session.

FCCU Rector Jonathan Addleton and others also attended the conference.