ISLAMABAD: Foreign Min­ister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the fast-evolving developments in technology is impacting economies around the world and digital interventions are needed in the agriculture sector to enhance productivity.

He was speaking at a ceremony held here on Tuesday to launch Khushaal Watan platform designed to digitally help the rural community and farmers.

The platform has been designed by Telenor Pakistan to digitally help the rural community and farmers and empower the agriculture ecosystem in the country.

Mr Qureshi said that agriculture was the largest contributing sector to Pakistan’s exchequer while employing half of the country’s labour force.

“This sector has great potential that can be harnessed through digital interventions,” he added.

The Khushaal Watan platform was an intervention to ensure progressive and sustainable growth of the economy by enhancing productivity and contribution to the national exchequer.

It was highlighted that the agriculture sector contributes around 24 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Pakistan and accounts for half of the total labour force in the country.

The Khushaal Watan platform is equipped with features, such as live video calls with experts in and out of the field, ranging from livestock experts to medical and legal experts to help the rural community.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2021