What happened
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 29 June 2026 directed the early formulation of a comprehensive National Agriculture Policy in consultation with the provinces, and ordered the establishment of an Agriculture Apex Forum to oversee the implementation of reforms, Pakistan Today reported.
The prime minister said the proposed forum would meet every month to monitor progress on the agriculture innovation and growth plan, speaking at a high-level meeting on the restructuring of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research and on agricultural reforms.
To improve farmers’ access to affordable credit, the prime minister directed authorities to launch a nationwide awareness campaign for the “Zarkhez-e Agricultural Loan Programme”. He also instructed that the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) be developed into a leading centre for agricultural research and technological advancement.
Shehbaz Sharif said the sector had the potential to become a key driver of sustainable economic growth, and that better-quality seeds, modern farming technologies and the timely availability of water and fertiliser could significantly increase per-acre crop yields. He stressed the need to promote value addition in agricultural products, improve warehousing and develop modern storage infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses.
Reforms under way
Officials told the meeting that the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) was producing multi-grain flour on a pilot basis, and briefed the prime minister on an artificial intelligence-based application intended to help farmers identify and manage crop pests and diseases more effectively.
They said the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited would provide financial support to improve farmers’ access to agricultural financing. The meeting was also told that the National Seed Policy and the National Agriculture Biotechnology Policy had recently been approved, while consultations on the Pakistan National Olive Value Chain Policy had been completed and the policy would soon be submitted for approval.
According to the report, consultations are also under way on a National Wheat Policy and several livestock-related policies as part of a broader strategy to modernise the agriculture sector.
Why it matters
Agriculture employs a large share of Pakistan’s workforce and is a central part of the government’s economic growth agenda, so the pace of these reforms matters well beyond the farm gate. The creation of a monthly forum, rather than a one-off policy announcement, is intended to give the reform programme a standing mechanism for follow-up across ministries and provinces.
What is still uncertain
The National Agriculture Policy has not yet been finalised, and the report did not give a timetable for its approval or for the completion of the wheat and livestock policies still under consultation. It is also not clear how the agricultural loan awareness campaign and the proposed credit guarantee support will be funded or how quickly they will reach farmers.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details are as carried by the cited source, which was reviewed on 2026-06-29.
- Pakistan Today — "PM rolls out roadmap to unlock agriculture's growth potential"29 June 2026 · The National Agriculture Policy directive, the monthly Agriculture Apex Forum, the Zarkhez loan campaign, PARC, the research and seed policies and the reforms presented at the meeting.
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