Towards a prosperous Pakistan

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Towards a prosperous Pakistan
The government has allocated a lion's share of the budget to the agriculture sector to boost per acre yield.

Better performing agricultural sector is key to the nation's economy

By Zulfiqar Ali

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Published: Sun 14 Aug 2016, 12:14 PM

Last updated: Sun 14 Aug 2016, 2:37 PM

The agricultural sector, which employs nearly 45 per cent of the total labour force in Pakistan, and contributes 24 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is a big booster of the country's economy. Agriculture is also key source of foreign exchange earnings.
The present government has allocated a lion's share of its budget to bring this dying sector back on its feet. The government announced Rs 341 billion relief package to the farmers to boost per acre yield.The total area of Pakistan is about 79.6 million hectares, out of which only 23.7 million hectares (28 per cent) area is used for agricultural purposes. About 8 million hectares area is unutilised. There is vast sub-division and fragmentation of land holdings, as a result modern technology cannot be applied in agriculture sector.
The key problem of agriculture is its low yield per hectare for almost every major crop. About 45 per cent of labour force is engaged in this sector while it is less than five per cent in developed countries. But, other countries are getting higher yield per hectare due to use of modern technology and trained labour.
Due to increasing population and division of land under the law of inheritance, landholdings are subdivided over and over again. The result is that very large number of farmers has less than 2 hectares of area. Moreover holdings are scattered. It is difficult to use modern machinery on small pieces of land.
Mostly poor population is attached with agricultural sector in Pakistan. They are using orthodox and traditional means of cultivation. Our farmers are not interested to use the advanced and modern means of farming due to its high cost, as a result area under cultivation remains either under-utilised, un-utilised or mis-utilised.
The ruling party is doing its best to enhance per acre agriculture yield. Recently the Prime Mininster of Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif announced a relief package of Rs341 billion for farmers but these packages are not enough to overhaul the long-ignored dying sector. The decrease in price of fertilisers and pesticides is too little to relieve a common farmer. If government is interested in restoring this sector then it will have to give special attention and take further steps to boost this sector.
There is a dire need to move forward by setting priorities for the promotion of agriculture. A comprehensive plan should be evolved for the promotion of agri research and all necessary resources should be provided for this purpose.
An effective strategy should be adopted regarding land development for agri purposes and services of experts should be acquired for this purpose. Spurious agri medicines are a poison for the crops. The government should eliminate the business of fake agri pesticides in country.
The companies that are dealing with fake pesticides business should be dealt with iron hand and strict action should be taken against the elements involved in this trade. There is a need of taking effective steps for preserving existing water resources for agriculture purposes.
Last year floods destroyed standing crops over more than 350,000 acres and over 7,000 houses in the province, particularly in some of its northern districts, says a report prepared by the Sindh government.
This sector is the backbone of national economy and without overhauling this sector common man cannot be prosperous and pressure on urban population will continue. There is great potential in this sector and boosting its productivity can strengthen national economy. Majority of the population, directly or indirectly, is dependent on this sector.
Modern agri-technology is must to raise per acre production for meeting the food requirements of the fast increasing population. Only well-to-do farmers can guarantee a prosperous Pakistan. Now a days a common farmer is much worried as the reduction in prices of commodities and increase in the prices of agriculture inputs have raised production cost.
Realising its importance, planners and policy makers should keen to have reliable area and production statistics of agricultural crops well in time. Policy makers primarily need accurate and timely statistics for the important crops such as wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize etc.

 - zulfiqar@khaleejtimes.com

The key problem of agriculture sector is its low yield per hectare for almost every major crop. About 45 per cent of labour force is engaged in this sector while it is less than five per cent in developed countries.
The key problem of agriculture sector is its low yield per hectare for almost every major crop. About 45 per cent of labour force is engaged in this sector while it is less than five per cent in developed countries.

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