An annual progress report of the MoAC has categorically stated the use of arable land for non-agriculture propose, rising migration to urban areas and failure to attract private sector and government spending on agriculture are challenges facing the sector. [break]
Similarly, lack of infrastructure such as irrigation, roads, rural electrification and market structure, mechanism to monitor quality of food commodities, have also been identified as other key challenges facing the agriculture sector.
The report has also stated that a total 17 percent of the total projects run under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC) performance have been below par.
The performance of seven projects including Program to Address Food Security, Commercial Agriculture and Trade Project, Irrigation and Water Resources Management Project, Livestock Market Promotion Project, Avian Influenza Control Project and Public Distribution System and Sugarcane and Sugar Development Board have been below par.
Similarly the report also stated that four percent of sub-projects have reported below par performance. A total 53 sub projects out of the total 1129 sub-projects achieved met than less than 80 percent of their target in the last fiscal.
The report said two sub-projects under the MoAC, 25 under Department of Agriculture, 16 under Department of Livestock, 4 under Department of Cooperatives and six under other agencies have been identified as low performing projects.
Officials of the MoAC have attributed load shedding, drought and withdrawal of some of the programs by Review mission of Asian Development to the below par performance of the projects.
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