By Abdul Wajid Khan ISLAMABAD, Feb 09 (INP-WealthPK): The government is finalising preparations to hold agriculture census in the country to boost the agriculture and livestock sector. Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, in a written statement, said the government is making preparations for agriculture census, which is expected to be conducted after the 7th Population and Housing Census, and complete information about agriculture and livestock will be collected through new and merged agriculture census, and no livestock census will be conducted separately. The statement said the last livestock census was conducted by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) in 2006. It added that so far, the agriculture census wing of the PBS had conducted four livestock censuses during 1976, 1986, 1996, and 2006. In 2015, the Governing Council of PBS decided to merge all these censuses, including agriculture, livestock and agriculture machinery censuses, into one. A government report said a comprehensive work plan for the 7th Population and Housing Census-Digital Census with timelines has been prepared and results of the census would be provided to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for delimitation for next general elections. Agriculture census is need of hour The availability of reliable, timely and accurate information is a prerequisite for concrete agriculture planning and development. So, the data collected through the agriculture census can provide a solid foundation in the formation of evidence-based policy designing to develop agriculture and livestock. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam, while presiding over a meeting on the livestock sector, said the livestock sector contribution to the agriculture gross domestic product (GDP) is 60 percent. He had added that for the last 15 years, the livestock census had not been conducted, and the country’s livestock should be quantified. In Pakistan, Agriculture Census Wing of Pakistan PBS is responsible for planning, execution and publication of data on censuses or surveys relating to Agriculture Machinery Census, Livestock and Mouza (Village) Census. It is the need of hour for Pakistan to hold agriculture census as soon as possible because agriculture constitutes the largest sector of the economy. Official information suggests that majority of the population, directly or indirectly, is dependent on this sector. Agriculture contributes about 24 percent of GDP, accounts for half of employed labour force, and it is the largest source of foreign exchange earnings. It feeds the whole rural and urban population and also provides raw material to industrial sector. In the export revenue, agriculture has high share directly as well as indirectly. Despite being an agricultural country, Pakistan is now becoming a food deficient country from a food surplus country. Due to the constant increase in population, the demand of food is increasing, but the growth of agricultural production is far below its potential. As a result, Pakistan is becoming an importer of food. Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin said in a recent statement that food inflation is increasing because Pakistan has now become a net importer of food due to shortage of wheat and sugar and other food items. He added that he was surprised to know during a meeting of the Price Control Committee that the country is importing 70 percent of pulses, which is a staple food, to fulfil its need. So, the agriculture sector demands the highest priority and attention of the federal and provincial governments to fulfil the needs of the country, and to ensure food security in future. Food security can only be achieved by modernisation and upgradation of this sector by utilising latest technology and promoting research and development. Pakistan needs to increase its yields of important crops including wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize etc. Pakistan should also focus on value addition and diversification of its agriculture products to reap more economic dividends. By developing livestock sector, Pakistan can also generate significant revenue by exporting Halal meat to foreign countries. To fulfil this need, the federal and provincial governments should adopt better policies for the production and development of the agriculture and livestock sector. The government should also fast track work for the timely completion of upcoming agriculture census to make better and proactive strategies to promote the agriculture sector, because further delay would cause adverse effects for the economy.