Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed authorities to draft and present a policy framework by the end of this month to facilitate easy access to loans for small and medium-scale farmers across the country.
Chairing a high-level review meeting on agricultural planning and agri-financing, the premier emphasized that the policy should be aligned with modern financing systems, aimed at meeting the evolving needs of the agriculture sector. He stressed that priority must be given to farmers owning less than 12 acres of land, ensuring they receive modern agricultural tools and support.
The prime minister reiterated that Pakistan’s development is closely tied to the growth of its agriculture sector and the value addition of agri-products. He called for comprehensive planning to equip farmers with small-scale industrial machinery to process produce into exportable goods.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema and Rana Tanveer Hussain, Advisor to the PM Muhammad Ali, Ministers of State Bilal Azhar Kiani and Abdul Rehman Kanju, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmed, Chief Coordinator Musharraf Zaidi, and other senior officials.
PM Shehbaz also highlighted that the government is fast-tracking reforms to provide farmers with modern equipment, certified seeds, artificial intelligence applications, efficient irrigation solutions, and support for on-farm industries. He noted that training and infrastructure to boost export-oriented processing of agricultural produce are being integrated into the broader reform agenda.
A detailed briefing was given during the session on ongoing agricultural reforms, the performance of the Agricultural Development Bank Limited, and the current status of loans being extended to farmers.
Earlier this month, the prime minister launched a soft loan scheme under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to support agricultural financing.
Back in March, PM Shehbaz had pledged a full-scale revival of the agriculture sector, aiming for food self-sufficiency and increased exports. He had expressed confidence that Pakistan could witness an agricultural revolution within a few years if the federal and provincial governments work together to ensure affordable inputs for farmers.
