ISLAMBAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday stressed on a need tobring revolution in vision for future to overcome a looming agriculturalcrisis.
The premier was addressing the governing council of the International Fundfor Agricultural Development (IFAD) virtually. He highlighted that hungerhas affected 600 million people across the globe as total population is setto swell to eight billion.
He said countries face various challenges while recovering from the outfallof the COVID-19 pandemic and achieving sustainable development goals.
He said that the pandemic is likely to push another 100m people intoextreme poverty, adding that more than 20 countries faced food insecurity.The World Food Programme had also warned of the sever famine in poorestcountries.
“The world faces multiple challenges in recovering from the pandemic andachieving [the] vital first two sustainable development goals (SDGs) — nopoverty and zero hunger,” the premier said.
There is a lack of financing, shortage of investment, trade distortions,unsustainable and consumption patterns, degradation of agricultural landand forest, an impending water crisis, loss of biodiversity, and pollutedrivers and oceans, he said.
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“We need a revolution and a vision for the future. The COVID-19 pandemicand the climate crisis should drive home the message to all — rich and poorand weak or powerful — that we will perish or survive together,” thepremier said.
“We need a common global plan for the survival and prosperity of allmankind,” the prime minister said, adding that he had proposed a debtsuspension porgramme for poor countries last year.
He also proposed a five-point agenda to revive agricultural sectors of thedeveloping countries.
