Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security has started the process to formulate a ‘national biotechnology policy’, and was working on preparation of various guidelines and regulatory measures to enhance agricultural productivity and protection.
Speaking at a workshop on bio-technology and bio-safety for food and feed security in Pakistan on Friday, the Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, said that the use of agricultural biotechnology has the potential to enhance country’s food production by at least 6%.
He regretted that despite initial recognition and quick response, use of agricultural biotechnology was not recognized as one of the key drivers of agricultural growth in Pakistan, unlike other countries.
The minister emphasised the need to upgrade and enhance capacity of national biotech research institutes, and at the same time agricultural research should be focused on developing second generation transgenic crops with improved resistance to pests, diseases and environmental stresses.
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