Pak-US cooperation in agri sector critical for ensuring food security: Masood Khan

WASHINGTON, Oct 27 (NNI): Pakistan’s Ambassador to United States Masood Khan has said that close cooperation between Pakistan and United States is critical in ensuring food security especially in the wake of devastating floods that have inundated one third of the country and washed away 4 million acres of farmland.
Ambassador Masood Khan expressed these views while talking to a visiting delegation from Pakistan at Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC.
“The need to strengthen our cooperation was never as great as it was today to avoid any untoward situation regarding food security in the region,” he said during a meeting with a visiting Pakistani delegation.
The Ukrainian crisis coupled with devastating floods in Pakistan have compounded the issue of food security manifold and thus needed immediate attention,” observed Pakistan’s top envoy to the United States,” the Pakistani envoy added.
The delegation comprised Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM), Shaharyar Ali Khan; SAPM Sheikh Fayyaz Ud Din, MNA, and Chairman of the Standing Committee National Food Security & Research, Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan; and Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD), Dr. Muhammad Akhtar Malik. The visiting delegation shared details of their meetings that were aimed at promoting Pak-US bilateral cooperation in the agriculture sector particularly supporting cotton crop with timely availability of BT seeds.
The delegation also apprised about their interactions to promote bilateral exchange programs especially enhancing collaboration between agriculture universities and research institutes of the two countries. Ambassador Masood Khan appreciated the Government and the people of United States for standing beside Pakistan in the aftermath of unprecedented floods that has adversely hit farmers community in particular.
Appreciating flood assistance of 66 million dollars by the US government, the Ambassador highlighted that 10 million dollars have been allocated for food security in the country.
“The agri sector of the country was not only supporting a population of 220 million of Pakistan but also catered to the requirements of neighbouring Afghanistan,” the ambassador said. NNI