Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Prof Ahsan Iqbal, on Wednesday inaugurated the field operations for Pakistan’s 7th Agricultural Census, ‘The Integrated Digital Count,’ organized by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
During the event, the Minister unveiled an innovative dashboard, ensuring real-time tracking of census progress and data insights. It is a step towards ensuring sustainable development, boosting productivity, and enhancing food security.
The Minister also distributed tablets to enumerators, highlighting the significance of digital tools for improving the accuracy and efficiency of data collection.
In his address, Ahsan Iqbal stressed the importance of the agricultural census in empowering Pakistan’s farmers and fostering sustainable agricultural development.
He noted that the data gathered from this census would play a vital role in shaping policies that tackle key challenges such as resource management, crop patterns, and food security.
The Minister emphasized that the data would enable targeted support for the agricultural community, encouraging initiatives to increase productivity and enhance the welfare of farmers.
He reiterated the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that farmers across Pakistan receive the resources and support they need for sustainable growth.
He said consistent and sustainable policies are curial for development of Pakistan, therefore, Pakistan cannot afford the political instability for continuation of sustainable policies.
The Minister emphasized that the 7th Agricultural Census is historic step forward in economic reforms and data driven policy making.
The Minister also appreciated Modernized Approach and Centralized GIS technology for real time monitoring. This will streamline data collection and analysis enabling targeting interventions and effective resource allocation ensuring that the census data would be of the highest quality.
He concluded by stressing the importance of the census for shaping policies that will strengthen food security, empower farmers, and boost Pakistan’s agricultural sector.
The Minister assured that the federal government is dedicated to working closely with provincial governments and all relevant stakeholders to improve the livelihoods of farmers and ensure the long-term sustainability of Pakistan’s agriculture.
This collaborative initiative, involving multiple levels of government and industry, represents a significant step forward in securing a prosperous future for Pakistan’s agricultural sector and its farmers.
The field operations of the seventh agriculture census, ‘Integrated Digital Count,’ were launched in all provincial capitals.