ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Senate was told that 90 percent of overall farmers – which are 7.4 million in number – are categorized as smallholder farmers in Pakistan who own less than 12.5 acres of land.
In a written reply submitted in the Upper House on Thursday, the Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema told that preliminary losses suffered by the farmers during the recent floods are around Rs 529.1 billion as reported by the provinces.
About the steps being taken for rehabilitation of small farmers affected by the recent flood, the minister told that the main exercise to rehabilitate the flood affected people is being done by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms along with development partners i.e. World Bank, Agricultural Development bank (ADB), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN agencies.
The minister told that the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms has proposed for distribution of wheat seeds and oilseeds to support flood affected areas.
According to provincial estimates, about 4.07 million acres damaged due to recent floods. Most of the damage occurred in Sindh and Balochistan followed by Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Tariq Bashir Cheema told that to give 100 percent coverage to support farmers for wheat seeds an amount of Rs 20.54 billion will be required.
It was proposed that the federal and provincial governments will share the cost with 50:50. However, the consent of the provinces for sharing of cost is still awaited.
Meanwhile, the federal government has arranged Rs 8.00 billion from its own development project for the provision of wheat seed. The mechanism for disbursement of seed is being finalized, he said.
