Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana said that food security, health, education and clean water were the real issues for which the government was making all-out efforts to address the problems of common man.

Punjab Agricultural Minister Dr Farrukh Javed on Friday said that Prime Minister's Kissan package worth Rs 341 billion is the revolutionary step that will not only help farmers to stand up on their feet but also increase the productivity. He was chairing a seminar on Kissan package arranged by University of Agriculture Faisalabad in collaboration with the Faisalabad Editors Council. This year, the cotton and rice growers faced the setback, he said adding that it is a bailout package. He said that the government was mapping out a strategy for the sustainable agriculture in the country. He rapped the previous governments for not giving the due share to the agriculture sector. We find no example like this package dealing with small farmers in the history of Pakistan. He said that non-continuity of policies was the serious matter of concern, hampering the process to reap the fruits of potential. He said that the present government was making all-out effort to strengthen the agriculture sector and a number of agricultural policies were being followed for the betterment and welfare of the small farmers. He said that final assistance of Rs 40 billion was being provided among the more than 1.2 small farmers of cotton and rice in the Punjab. It will help them to purchase the basic inputs for the cultivation of Rabi crops. He was of the view that additional soft loan worth Rs 100 billion was being giving to small farmers under the package. He said that under the wheat campaign of Punjab government, he said that winners of contest are getting 80 mounds. He also asked the UAF to devise the mechanism of precision agriculture. He said that balanced usage of fertilizer will not increase the productivity but also save billions of rupees. He appreciated the steps of holding seminar on Kissan Package for raising awareness of its importance and effectiveness. UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that it is the historical step which has been taken by the government and valuable gift for farmers. Under the package, Rs 147 billion was being given as direct benefit and Rs 194 billion indirect benefit to the farmers. He added that the package was comprising 1.1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. He said that it was the time to move towards sustainable agriculture for which sophisticated tools of agriculture must be introduced among the farming community. He was of the view that the agricultural land is diminishing with the increasing population. In this regard, increased investment must be made in the research and development activities for increasing per acre yield. He said that farm commission needs to set up in Pakistan on the pattern of US congress for the sustainable policies. He highlighted the role of media and said that positive results of the public welfare measures could be achieved through the help and support of the media . Editor Council Faisalabad President Syed Munir Jilani lauded the steps being taken on the part of the government for strengthening the agriculture sector and the progress of the farmers. He called for ensuring the usage of modern agricultural tools in the field in order to ensure the food security for the people. MPA/ former Punjab minster Hussain Jahania Gardezi stressed the need to make our agricultural sector compatible to international market. He was of the view that due to the traditional way of farming, our cost of production has increased. He said that we are facing the challenges including value addition, policies and marketing that should be addressed. He said that Kissan package would go the long way for achieving the self reliance in the agriculture production and would help transform the economic life of the farmers into prosperity. Farmer Associates Pakistan President Afaq Tawana said that till 1990, our agriculture was compatible to the world agriculture. After 1990, we didn't adopt the technologies like Precision Agriculture, biotechnology and value addition. The situation has put the country two decade behind in the agriculture sector compared to the world. He said that the present government was taking care of the small farmers that will help in alleviating poverty and achieving food security in the county. DG Extension Agriculture Punjab Anjum Ali Buttar highlighted the steps being taken by the Punjab government for the welfare and assistance of the farmers and said as many as 92,000 bags of developed seed of wheat distributed among the farming community. Director External Linkages, UAF Prof Dr Muhammad Ashfaq Dr Sultan Ali Adil, Dr Ahsan Latif, Dr Muhammad Sarwer, Dr Yasin, Columnist Asghar Ali Tabassum, Hamayun Tariq and others also spoke on the occasion.