IT minister hails Agri Stack as transformative platform

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja hailed the Agri Stack as a transformative platform for Pakistan’s agriculture sector during her visit to the Land Information and Management System (LIMS) facility.

Developed by LIMS as a complete digital ecosystem and e-commerce platform under the Ministry of IT and Telecom (MoITT), Agri Stack aims to modernise agriculture through real-time advisory, land intelligence, and AI-driven solutions.

Accompanied by the director general of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the minister reviewed the live demonstration of Agri Stack, which currently serves over two million farmers.

The system has already contributed to saving Rs5 billion through automated pest attack mitigation—most notably during the whitefly outbreak in 2023.

DG LIMS Maj Gen Muhammad Ayub Ahsan received the delegation, while Dr Col Waqar briefed attendees on the role of LIMS in enhancing food security and transforming land management.

Discussions also covered a suite of digital tools including the Pak Sar Zameen Card, a GIS/remote-sensing-based smart card enabling farmers to access land records, subsidies, and agri-advisories.

The visit also spotlighted broader initiatives such as promoting tech-based job creation for youth in agriculture, smartphone distribution, improved digital connectivity, and the use of AI for crop yield prediction. A proposal to form a steering group to coordinate and support LIMS in scaling these innovations was tabled during the meeting.

Minister Shaza emphasised that LIMS must be fully accessible via smart phones, enabling real-time access to land records and location tracking for users across Pakistan. She highlighted the importance of digital integration in land governance to boost transparency and ease of access.

The DG SIFC noted that LIMS reflects the Whole-of-Government approach, jointly driven by the SIFC and Pakistan’s Armed Forces, and reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to a tech-enabled and sustainable future for the country’s agricultural and environmental landscape.