CHAIRING a meeting on Saturday, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan directed authorities concerned to give final touches to the proposed Food Security Policy and table the same before provincial cabinet for approval.
With this, the KP will become first province in the country to implement its food security policy.
Given contours of the policy reported in media, it appears to be a comprehensive document envisaging construction of dams, development of maximum command areas, efficient use of water resources, soil conservation, scientific research, livestock-dairy development and adoption of modern techniques of farming to increase per acre yield.
These indeed are areas that were neglected in the past and despite being an agrarian country, we are heavily reliant on import of food and other agriculture items.
The provincial government is estimating to spend Rs 236 billion to achieve objectives of the policy.
This is a huge investment and one expects it will be spent judiciously to achieve desired results.
Often policies in our country are prepared on paper yet never implemented on the ground.
Therefore it will also be a test case for the KP government as to how efficiently and swiftly it moves on various interventions.
The Covid-19 has necessitated it further to uplift agriculture sector to achieve self-reliance, for which we will have to embrace technological innovation and promote homegrown research.
Just as has been done in olive plantation, zoning of crops should be done in order to achieve maximum production of different crops.
We have no doubt in saying that any policy or plan will remain futile or fail to achieve its desired objectives, until needs of farmers are well taken care.
Just like industrial sector, farmers should be given maximum incentives that enable them to adapt to latest technology and reduce their input costs.
While KP government deserves commendation for coming up with food security policy, other provinces especially the Centre should also think on same lines to ensure complete transformation of country’s agriculture sector.
