ISLAMABAD (APP) - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the agriculture and livestock sectors have the potential to significantly strengthen the national economy within a year through modern technology, scientific research, and coordinated federal and provincial efforts, as he unveiled an ambitious reform agenda for the country’s livestock sector.
Addressing the national seminar titled “Harnessing Pakistan’s Livestock Potential” after inaugurating the Pakistan Animal Identification and Traceability System (PAITS), the prime minister said Pakistan possessed abundant natural resources, fertile land, water and hardworking farmers but had failed to fully exploit its agricultural and livestock potential due to outdated practices and inadequate value addition.
He noted that Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest milk producer but continues to underperform in dairy and meat exports due to weak disease control, poor traceability and limited processing infrastructure.
He stressed that improving livestock productivity, adopting modern farming practices and enhancing value addition were essential to expanding exports and strengthening the economy.
The prime minister announced that the government would send another 1,000 agriculture graduates from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to China for advanced agricultural training. The initiative follows the successful completion of an earlier programme under which 1,000 graduates received specialised training in modern farming techniques and international best practices.
He directed that the lessons learned from the first batch be fully incorporated into the next phase and reiterated the need for close cooperation between the federation and provinces despite agriculture being a devolved subject under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
PM Shehbaz Sharif also announced full federal funding for the indigenous development of a Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine. He said that the project would be professionally managed through outsourcing to meet international standards.
While congratulating officials on organising the national seminar, the prime minister described livestock reform as a long-term national endeavour requiring consensus and collaboration between the federal and provincial governments.
Welcoming representatives from across the country, he emphasised that Pakistan must now focus on practical implementation rather than rhetoric to unlock the sector’s true potential.