Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday ordered the relevant authorities to formulate a sustainable, long-term policy of agro-industrial development to promote agriculture and forestry key sectors by reducing the impact of climate change, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

While he was chairman of a meeting on reforms of the agricultural sector, the Prime Minister emphasized that the government is focused on modernizing agriculture to achieve self -sufficiency. He instructed officials to devise a coordinated strategy in consultation with the provinces and all relevant stakeholders.

When he highlights the enormous potential of Pakistan’s agricultural sector for rapid economic development, the Prime Minister noted that the country is equipped with fruitful land, skilled agricultural experts and hard -working farmers.

Read more: Make cotton, corn output a setback

He also instructed that agricultural loans were granted to farmers on easy conditions and emphasized the importance of increasing agricultural research to improve productivity.

In addition, he also instructed the affected departments to present a national Agri innovation plan aimed at operating innovation across the sector.

The premiere also called for the acceleration of ongoing reforms in the certification system for agricultural seeds and formulation of a comprehensive action plan to promote the use of high quality seeds.

When he emphasized the government’s obligation to modernize agriculture, he ordered the development of a robust regulatory framework to support innovation and technology uptake in the sector.

During the meeting, proposals were presented by the working group created for agricultural reforms. The meeting attended the federal ministers Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb and Musadik Malik together with senior officials.

This development comes as Pakistan’s agricultural sector faces significant challenges.

According to data from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) and Topline Research, the Sector’s growth rate dropped to 1.1% in the second quarter of FY 2024-25, down from 6.1% in the same quarter of FY 2023–24.

The sharp decline is largely attributed to a decrease of 31% in cotton production and a decrease of 15.4% in the corn output, both of which are crucial to the overall performance of the sector.

Read more: Cm reveals the plan to increase the agricultural sector

In addition, gram crop yields have experienced a sharp downturn in the rain-fed Thal region, where prolonged drought and the effects of climate change have destroyed hundreds of hectares of agricultural land and push local farmers into financial distress.

Earlier this month, SINDH Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah Provincial Agriculture Department instructed a four-year package for small breeders to strengthen the provincial agricultural system and support vulnerable farmers.