Islamabad, March 21, 2017: On March 21, 2017, US Embassy representatives, including Agriculture Counselor David Williams, met with Agriculture Minister Punjab, Naeem Akhtar Khan, and Secretary Agriculture Punjab, Mohammad Mahmood, to discuss Government of Punjab agricultural development priorities and opportunities for agricultural cooperation that are consistent with the Government of Punjab’s interests and priorities.
During the meeting, Agriculture Counselor David Williams said that “the close partnership between America and Pakistan in the field of agriculture goes back decades, from the beginning of the Green Revolution in the 1960s to our work to boost Pakistan’s agricultural productivity and exports today. Pakistan’s economy is stronger and its farmers more prosperous due to our cooperation in this field”
Agriculture is Pakistan’s second largest sector, accounting for more than 21 percent of its GDP. It remains by far the largest employer, with 46 percent of the labor force working in the sector. For the nearly 62 percent of the Pakistani population in rural areas, agriculture is a vital part of daily life. The US government supports Pakistani scientists and farmers to improve agricultural productivity in Pakistan, and to meet economic objectives and food security needs, with USAID allocating more than $350 million in funding to support Pakistan’s agricultural sector from fiscal year 2002 to 2015.
