ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain said that developing a competitive and inclusive value chain for pulses is critical for ensuring food security, improving nutrition, and reducing Pakistan’s reliance on imports, adding that even a 30 per cent improvement in the sector could significantly cut the country’s pulses import bill.
He was speaking as the chief guest at a briefing session titled “Developing Competitive and Inclusive Value Chains of Pulses in Pakistan,” organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) on Thursday. The project is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and led by The University of Queensland.
Pulses are among the cheapest sources of protein and an important crop for sustainable agriculture, the minister said, adding that strengthening the sector would directly benefit farmers and help ensure national food security. He said: “Pakistan currently produces around 0.7 to 0.8 million tonnes of pulses annually against a national requirement of about 1.6 million tonnes, which shows a major production gap that forces the country to rely on imports.”
Rana Tanveer stressed that promoting public–private partnerships, local seed production and value addition would help strengthen the pulses sector and support small farmers. Improved market intelligence, crop preservation facilities and national quality standards are essential to attract investment and build a robust value chain, he added. The government is focusing on strengthening agricultural research, extension services and climate-resilient seed varieties to improve productivity, the minister said, adding that Pakistan currently invests only 0.16 per cent of its GDP in agricultural research, compared with around 4.0 per cent by countries such as Korea.
The minister said climate change had emerged as a major challenge for Pakistan’s agriculture sector, leading to declining yields in key crops such as rice and wheat. To address post-harvest losses, he said the government was working on introducing modern Chinese harvesting machinery, which could significantly reduce crop wastage.
Referring to global developments, he said tensions in the Gulf and Middle East had already increased freight rates and risk insurance costs by five to ten times, which could impact agricultural trade and input prices. However, he assured that the government had ensured stable fertiliser prices and adequate domestic production to meet farmers’ needs during the upcoming Kharif season.
Australian High Commissioner Timothy Kane said agriculture was an important pillar of cooperation between Pakistan and Australia, noting that the ACIAR had been working in Pakistan for more than two decades. He added that the ACIAR project on pulses focuses on the entire value chain — from farm production to processing and markets — while also promoting the participation of women and youth in the agricultural value chain. Dr Munawar Raza Kazmi, the ACIAR Country Director, emphasised the need to improve seed quality and shift pulse cultivation from marginal lands to more suitable arid regions. He said the organisation was also supporting water management initiatives and building leadership capacity among women researchers in the agriculture sector.
Dr Rajendra Adhikari from The University of Queensland said policy incentives and market reforms were needed to encourage farmers and private sector stakeholders to invest in pulse production and value chains.
Earlier, Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of SDPI, said the Economic Survey of Pakistan reported a 16.1 per cent decline in Mash pulse production, while poor post-harvest handling results in around 25 per cent losses. He said research and policy reforms were needed to improve seed varieties, reduce losses and strengthen the value chain. He further said that SDPI was working with partners, including the ACIAR, to build a strong policy case for pulses.
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