Govt attaches high priority to agro sector, says Bosan
By Tariq Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD—The inhabitants of our mountain region mainly depend on agriculture as a source of our livelihood and a well performing agriculture sector greatly influences well being of mountain communities.
Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of office of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) here in Chak Shahzad Thursday.
Members of countries of Hindu Kush-Himalayas region. Senior officials of the ICIMOD and representatives from Germany, Switzerland, Netherland, Austria, USA, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar and Nepal participated in the ceremony.
The federal minister said that Pakistan’s agriculture plays a vital role in sustaining growth in national economy and reducing poverty as it provides with twenty-two % share of GDP. “Government attaches high priority to the improvement of agriculture sector performance”, he added.
He further said that Pakistan is home to many of the highest mountains in the world and most of the Pakistani mountain systems are arid in nature and thus demand higher level of concern in the context of forestry, agriculture, erosion and livelihood.
He regretted that mountain people whether in Pakistan or elsewhere are generally poor while eighty percent population of mountain people live below poverty line and some 270 million mountain dwellers lack food and security.