Syed Qaseem Ali Shah
QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti inaugurated the province’s seventh agriculture census integrated with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology on Wednesday. The event marked a significant step toward leveraging digital tools for precise agricultural policymaking.
The inauguration, held through a GIS dashboard, highlighted the importance of accurate and multi-dimensional data for addressing challenges in farming, resource allocation, and boosting crop production. The Chief Minister emphasized, “Agriculture and livestock sectors are the backbone of Pakistan’s and Balochistan’s economy. This census is a milestone in data-driven policymaking, benefiting food security, farmers’ welfare, and the agricultural sector.”
The census will involve 1,004 trained enumerators across Balochistan, collecting critical agricultural data, with results expected by August 2025. Chief Minister Bugti underlined the province’s vast agricultural potential, spanning 7.12 million acres, where crops like wheat, rice, and cotton significantly contribute to national production.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between the Balochistan government and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Secretary Agriculture Ali Akbar Baloch, Secretary Livestock Muhammad Tayyab Lehri, and other officials praised the role of GIS technology in enhancing data accuracy.
Participants:
The event was attended by Provincial Ministers Mir Ali Hasan Zehri, Mir Mohammad Sadiq Umrani, Mir Asim Kurd Gailo, Mir Salim Khan Khoso, Sardar Kohyar Khan Domki, Bakht Muhammad Kakar, Mir Shoaib Noshirwani, Advisor Meena Majeed Baloch, Parliamentary Secretary Haji Wali Muhammad Noorzai, Balochistan Government Spokesperson Shahid Rand, Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, Principal Secretary to CM Babar Khan, Balochistan Bureau of Statistics Chief Syed Ruhollah, PBS System Analyst Momina Babar, and others.
