Candian help sought for food security

[LahoreEstate]

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Food and Agriculture seeks collaboration of Canada in various sectors of agriculture development including food security, improvement in storage facility particularly for wheat, rice and maize.

These views were discussed during a meeting among High Commissioner of Canada Randolph Mank, Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Mohammad Gondal and senior officials of the ministry here today.

Pakistan is confronted with serious food security problems and every year the government is compelled to spend billions of precious foreign exchange earning over imports of wheat, sugar, palm oil and other food items. The Canadian High Commissioner was informed that Pakistan wanted to developed storage facility for wheat and other crops like rice and maize. In this regard the government seek the construction of silos (bins) for food reserves under Public-Private Partnership with Canada.

The MINFA also wants to updated the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) signed with Canadan, which was signed in 2005 but since no progress is made till date. In this regard more negotiations would be made in the annual meeting scheduled on March 16, 2009. Pakistan has established National Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (NAPHIS), for taking initiatives to meet agriculture exports requirements under WTO regime for meeting international standards. The government also seeks Canadian help in up-gradation of the organisation in the form of Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). It would help the government in ensuring food safety and standardisation.

Speaking on the occasion Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Nazar Muhammad Gondal said bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Canada must be increased and there is a tremendous potential of cooperation in agriculture. He said both the countries enjoy cordial relations and Pakistan wanted to further cement these relations especially in agriculture sector.

The Minister said that Canada could help Pakistan in building storage capacity of agricultural products for the benefits of farmers community. The minister said that dry agriculture development was another possible area of cooperation. The High Commissioner of Canada, Randolph Mank expressed his interest in trade of food, Canadian beef, cooperation in agriculture education through University of Gulf and fish farming in Karachi. The ambassador said Japan would give $7 million under World Food Programme aid to Pakistan soon. “I will do my utmost to strengthen already existing good bilateral ties,” he vowed. ijaz kakakhel

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg5_16