Technology can ensure food security in S Asia

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Aftab Maken
ISLAMABAD: Introduction of new technologies in the agriculture sector supported by media, both electronic and print, can only ensure food security in the region, otherwise the countries are vulnerable to naked faces of hunger, poverty and other ills.

The rural economy needed more understanding of the sector as it had been divorced by the policy-makers in Pakistan and other countries of the region and investment in rural economy could ensure security for the region, speakers at a three-day workshop on the role of media for accelerating agricultural growth in SAARC countries.

“Agriculturalists and other experts of the sector should focus more on this crucial but ignored community. It is a crucial challenge and time is running out, but we should give top priority to this sector,” a participant said.

Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, in his inaugural address to the workshop, said fast growth of the region was only because of booming agriculture. The minister said the people of SAARC countries were not only poor but also poor in information as well which was one of the reasons for not fully exploring the potential in agricultural produce.

“Promoting new technologies and techniques, particularly in remote areas of the region, will definitely improve the yield and help achieve self-sufficiency in grain production,” the minister said.

The minister further said innovation and state-of-the-art technology, particularly in mass communication in agriculture, would also help regional countries to ensure food security.Federal Food and Agriculture Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal, in his welcome address, highlighted the issues and problems faced by the farmers and their solution through media intervention.

“Dissemination of information can serve as a catalyst for enhancing the production, thus leading to elimination of hunger and poverty from this region and making the people well-nourished,” the minister said.

Director General NAPHIS Malik Zahoor, in his address to the conference, underlined four objectives which included role of media, sharing experiences, practices and skills, strategy for sharing expertise and better cooperation among member countries.

“It is pathetic that the farmers of the region are still at a place where they are 50 years back and there is no improvement and are in the clutches of poverty, debt,” he added. In the conference, representatives of the SAARC region would present their papers on the role of media in accelerating agricultural growth and a draft on the subject would be finalised.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=186726