ADBP asked to speed up Model Villages Project

Islamabad: Federal Food & Agriculture Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal asked the ministry officials and President Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan to speed up 'Model Villages Project'. For this project 26 villages from all over the country would be selected from all the zones of ADBP.

A Mobile Credit Officer of the ADBP would be appointed to develop the database of agricultural land, farmers and their needs. The ADBP officer would give farmers credit for inputs like fertilisers, pesticides, seed etc and he will also help them in marketing of their agricultural products. This is a pilot project and it would be extended to every district of the country by selecting one village from each district.

The Minister said that present government is determined to change Agriculture sector from a stagnant sector into engine of economic progress and this project is a milestone toward this goal. 'The objective of this project is to benefit the small and poor farmers and to give agriculture credit to small farmers at their door-step' the Minister said.

The Minister said that we need innovative and tireless efforts to bring a qualitative change in people of rural areas, most of them living below poverty line. 'The only way to reduce poverty is to strengthen agriculture as 66 per cent of our population directly or indirectly linked with agriculture' he said. The meeting was attended by Secretary of Minfa, President ZTBL (ADBP) and other senior officials.