ISLAMABAD: Flood affected areas across the country need 2.99 million seed bags to fulfill the requirements of upcoming Rabi season, officials from Food Security and Research told a meeting held here at the National Flood Response and Coordination Center (NFRCC) on Wednesday, APP reported.
The meeting was chaired by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal who was informed that around four million acres of cultivatable area have been affected by flood across the country.
The Rabi crop, especially the cultivation of wheat and the measures regarding the supply of subsidy-based seeds were reviewed in the meeting.
The forum was also apprised of the progress made so far on the NFRCC web portal and dashboard.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal directed that the requirement of the respective areas and the types of seeds should be determined in advance.
He added that relief activities in the flood affected areas should be expedited due to the arrival of winter and mechanism for procurement of subsidy based seeds and distribution at district level should be finalized on immediate grounds.
He Minister further said that provincial governments should confirm about the availing of subsidy-based seeds as soon as possible.
There should be no delay in delivering seeds to farmers for the Rabi crop, as the delay would increase the issue of food security in the country, he added. Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Akhtar Nawaz, provincial secretaries of agriculture and other concerned officials were also present in the meeting. APP
