LAHORE: The Embassy of the United States of America showcased its long-standing support for Pakistan’s agriculture sector with a pavilion at the Dawn Food and Agri Expo. The US Pavilion highlights projects to support Pakistani farmers, strengthen value chains, and improve market access. The two-day exhibition in Lahore was inaugurated on Thursday at the Expo Centre in Johar Town.
“The United States has partnered with the government of Pakistan, the private sector, and farmers to modernise the agricultural sector. Together, we are creating jobs, increasing farmer incomes, and improving Pakistan’s food security,” stated Mission Director Jerry Bisson at the Agri Expo inauguration session. Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana, Danish Ambassador Rolf Michael Hay Pereira and representatives from other diplomatic missions in Pakistan were also present at the inauguration.
The Expo’s US Pavilion featured a number of agricultural assistance programmes supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) that are helping Pakistan’s farmers and agribusinesses to reach international markets.
The United States and Pakistan have partnered to boost agricultural productivity by developing new crop varieties, promoting a culture of applied research and policy reform, and helping small and medium-sized agricultural businesses access finance and tap into more lucrative markets. The US Government continues to work closely with Pakistan to advance agricultural research, introduce new techniques and technologies, improve watershed conservation and water management, and increase cross-border trade.
In the last decade, USAID has helped over one million households, improved the productivity of over 528,000 acres of land, and trained over 313,000 farmers in the use of new technologies and management practices. During that time period, USAID programmes have helped generate over $200 million in domestic sales, increased exports by $92 million, leveraged over $312 million in private sector investment, and created more than 43,000 new jobs.
USDA has partnered with the government of Pakistan, US land-grant universities, and international partners to increase agricultural productivity in Pakistan, build institutional capacity to regulate animal and plant health, and handle food safety issues effectively, and strengthen institutional research capabilities and US-Pakistani scientific collaboration.
The Dawn Food and Agri Expo provide an opportunity for Expo visitors to see and hear about the United States Government’s partnership with Pakistan to capitalise on the agriculture sector’s enormous potential.
