Efforts underway to enable rural development-driven economic growth

ISLAMABAD-Minister of State/Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Industries and Production, Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi has said all possible steps are being taken to enable rural development-driven economic growth by enhancing financial inclusion in the agriculture sector to boost productivity and exports.

He expressed these views while addressing closing ceremony of a five-day international training course on productivity gainsharing in agribusiness enterprises here on Friday. The event was jointly organised by National Productivity Organization (NPO) and Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Tokyo, Japan. The minister said the government is committed to support the agriculture sector and believed that initiatives and platforms which connect such international practices can drive further development of the sector. He was of the view that agricultural sector is indispensable for the country’s economic growth, food security, employment generation and poverty alleviation particularly at the rural level. The minister said the government is closely monitoring key crops, devising policies and planning interventions to ensure uninterrupted supply of basic food items at affordable prices in the country. The minister said he looks forward to enhancing productivity of agriculture sector based on mutual learning and showing the rest of the world that how APO member countries can work together for innovation and development agricultural sector.

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He lauded the efforts of the organizers for hosting a successful event which got attention of APO member countries. Chief Executive Officer NPO, Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhry and Head of APO, Tadahisa Manabe also addressed the event, which was attended by delegates from APO member countries, academics, experts from health and agriculture sectors. The APO, established on May 11, 1961, is a union of 21 Asian countries with headquarters in Tokyo working for promotion of socio-economic development in the region and among member countries. The members of APO include Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, The Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.