IT Ministry, FAO Launch 'AgriSurge 2020

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jun, 2020 ) :Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) here on Thursday launched AgriSure 2020 for the development of agriculture sector.

Framework collaboration agreement was signed between Ministry of IT and FAO of UN on 25 March to jointly work for the development of agriculture sector of Pakistan, using technology, 'AgriSurge 2020 Innovation Challenge' Secretary IT Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative Min� Dowlatchahi in Pakistan virtually launched the program, said a news release.

Senior officers of the Ministry of IT and Ignite were also present on the occasion.

Under the 'AgriSurge 2020 Innovation Challenge', Ignite in collaboration with FAO has called for innovative solutions that can revolutionize agriculture sector in Pakistan through 4th Industrial Wave (4IW) tech.

The competition was open for all with no age limit. The wining team will clinch a cash prize of Rs. 500,000/- while first and second runner-up teams will receive Rs. 300,000/- and Rs. 200,000/- respectively.

The proposal submission deadline was set for July 14, 2020. The proposals can be submitted at www.

ignite.org.pk/agrisurge.

Speaking on the occasion, the said that ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, the ministry is consistently launching ICT centric initiatives in sectors that are critically devastated by the pandemic.

He said that the agriculture sector has great importance in the economic development of the country and the ministry will take every possible step for addressing the challenges and problems faced by agriculture sector through technology interventions.

Last week the ministry launched National Education Challenge 2020 for provision of education and increment of literacy rate in the face of global educational and industrial shutdown, using technology, he said.

FAO Representative in Pakistan Min� Dowlatchahi through video link said that this is a great initiative and leveraging 4IW Tech through youth and women engagement is a matter of urgency to unlock Agriculture and water management transformation in Pakistan.

Innovation, with youth and women engagement, is part of the solutions to accelerate the modernization and increased resilience of food systems, employment and stable incomes generation along the food supply chain and in rural areas, she said.