Director for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Pakistan Gregory Gottlieb served as the keynote speaker to open the Pakistan Agriculture Conference and Exposition 2015 in Islamabad.  The two-day exposition will showcase the latest technological advances in the agriculture industry and provide government agencies and the private sector a forum to discuss agriculture engagement strategies.  The United States contributed a five stall pavilion to exhibit the agriculture development efforts supported by USAID in Pakistan.

Mr. Gottlieb said, "This is yet another example of how support for Pakistan's agriculture development is a priority of the United States. We believe our agriculture projects will continue to contribute to the growth of Pakistan's economy. Working together with a strong cadre of local farmers, agribusinesses and policymakers, the United States and Pakistan's joint efforts in agriculture development will contribute to a stronger, brighter future for all Pakistan."

Agriculture employs 44 percent of the national labor force and provides 21 percent of Pakistan's Gross Domestic Product. Speakers from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, as well as representatives from the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council engaged audiences on wide range of topics and spoke strategies to improve resources and development in the agriculture industry.

During the past five years, United States agriculture assistance has helped nearly one million farmers increase productivity and income. This assistance helped Pakistan directly generate over $45 million in domestic sales and $28 million in export sales. Helping Pakistani farmers improve the quality of agricultural products while increasing productivity is a critical priority for the United States and approximately 800,000 farmer families have increased their incomes through the U.S.-Pakistani cooperation.

For more details on USAID's agriculture assistance for Pakistan, please visit: http://www.usaid.gov/pakistan/economic-growth-agriculture