Renewed collaboration and public private partnership to boost food production

LAHORE Dec 06 (ONLINE): President SAARC Chamber of
Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik Monday stressed the urgent need for renewed
collaboration and public private partnership to accelerate food production to offset the ever increasing impending threat of food insecurity in the world.

Speaking as chief guest at the annual rice dealers conference held
under aegis of Guard Agriculture Research and Services,he said global food
Security is at a tipping point and large portion of global population is hungry today than 2015.He said the role of public private partnership is improving global food security.

He said the prime objective of public private partnership is to use
market mechanism to improve Agri food systems,thereby reducing food
insecurity and advancing rural development.He said rice is the second most
important crop of Pakistan which promise economic prosperity for growers and helps earn billions of rupees through its export.

Iftikhar Ali Malik said Pakistan is the 10th largest producer and 4th
largest exporter of rice.He said Pakistan’s export make up more than
8% of world’s total rice trade.He lauded the four decades long efforts of
guard Agri research and services division for introducing 11 government
approved new varieties of hybrid rice for commercial cultivation.