PM chairs review meeting on agricultural development, financing

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level review meeting to assess national planning for agricultural development and agri-financing strategies.

During the session, the premier directed authorities to devise a comprehensive action plan for providing easy loans on flexible terms, especially for medium and small-scale agricultural activities.

“The provision of modern agricultural facilities to farmers owning less than 12 acres of land must be our top priority,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

He further stated that Pakistan’s overall development is directly linked to the progress of the agricultural sector and the value addition in farmers’ produce.

Facilitating small-scale farmers remains one of the key national priorities to ensure sustainable growth in the agriculture sector, he added. He said farmers should be presented for providing loans on easy terms for modern agricultural equipment, artificial intelligence and standard seeds.

PM directed a comprehensive plan should also be made in terms of access to small -scale industrial machinery for the manufacture of exportable goods from farmers’ commodity processing.

He said government is accelerating the process of reforms for farmers for modern agricultural equipment, standard seeds, artificial intelligence, better use of water, on -form small industry and degraded facilities.

The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the agricultural sector reforms as well as the performance of the Agricultural Development Bank Limited and the loans provided to the farmers.

Prime Minister has directed relevant authorities to prepare and present a comprehensive plan by the end of the current month for providing farmers with easy-term loans and introducing a modern, demand-driven agri-financing system.

The premier emphasized that the proposed system must align with contemporary agricultural needs and ensure timely and accessible financial support for farmers, particularly smallholders.