ISLAMABAD: Food Sec­urity Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain on Tuesday said that Pakis­tan’s agriculture sector does not lack potential; it needs confidence, coordination and capital.

Despite its strategic importance, the agriculture sector today stands at a critical crossroads, as “we face clear challenges: declining productivity; increasing climate stress; limited value addition; and persistent under-investment, particularly in long-term, development-oriented financing, Mr Tanveer said while speaking at Hand-in-Hand National Agricult­ure Investment Summit focusing on olive and dairy sectors of Pakistan.

The summit was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisa­tion of the United Nations in collaboration with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

The minister announc­­ed that the government is open to agribusiness partnerships and innovation.

The government is committed to improving regulatory clarity and support; strengthening public-private coordination; supporting blended finance solutions; and ensuring that smallholders are integrated in modern value chains.

He said too much capital is locked into short-term production cycles, and too little is directed toward processing, infrastructure, innovation, and resilience.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2026