Seed sector revamp urged to transform Pakistan’s agriculture

Vice President of Pakistan Businesses Forum (PBF) Ahmad Jawad on Saturday said that the country needs to enhance its expertise in “seed development” to achieve more production in the local agriculture sector.

He said seeking cooperation under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects for seed development expertise would help in improving agricultural productivity, said a press release issued here.

“We need to revamp our seed sector and need to produce larger volumes of certified seeds at affordable prices and we ought to streamline the distribution of quality seeds among farmers across Pakistan,” he said.

As the earlier amended Seed Act is an example of obedience to rich transnational corporations.

An amendment Act is in compliance with TRIPs, which guarantees the private sector taking control over the livelihood of small farmers and is one of the most anti-farmer Acts in Pakistan.

This terrible step has worsened food insecurity in Pakistan mainly in Sindh province.

Jawad further said, “the majority of seed companies are engaged in just marketing of certified seeds produced by leading seed-producing companies, which is perhaps why we don’t see new seed varieties more often. And that is why even technological advancement in preservation of seeds is not progressing well in the country.”

Similarly, PBF is very much positive that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will bring a noticeable change in the governance, administration and delivery on the back of his proven track-record to successfully implement reforms and complete wide-ranging mega projects before time.

The new government and its finance minister should start an objective and inclusive consultative process with the stakeholders in the business community and take them into confidence on how and why the government will be able to manage the current account deficit. Similarly, the free float policy of the dollar must be revisited as it’s not viable for us.