PRIME MINISTER Shahbaz Sharif ordered ministries concerned prepare a “comprehensive reform program” to change the agricultural sector on on an emergency basis from next Rabi harvest season to increase productivity, reduce food imports and increase farmers’ incomes. If a past is there anything, such a plan involves a significant increase in subsidies for some major crops and maybe a few minor interventions to fix nutrition of chemicals and other materials. Agriculture is a large and diverse segment of Pakistan economy and it problems too complex to solve with in one harvest season or two. The expected reforms may result in yield spikes in short term but structural problems facing this is perhaps the most important segment of in the economy, on which the country’s food security depends, will not disappear.
Almost a third of in population depends on directly on agricultural economy for livelihood, making this sector the largest employer. Agriculture also contributes almost 20% to output or GDP, but remains neglected, poorly organized and inefficient. Climate change, as a result in frequent droughts, floods, sudden rise and fall in temperature, etc. in recent years more complicated in challenges for those who depend on Agriculture for their livelihood. Not surprisingly, in Pakistan in in last one decade has become net importer of food in despite of being a major producer of food crops, accommodation one of in the world’s largest cattle population and fifth largest milk producer. In July, Pakistan’s food imports, including wheat and palm oil, exceeded $ 760 million, compared with exports, mainly rice, of 358 million dollars. It can be said that decades of irrelevant policy and fiscal interventions on on behalf of of a small amount of large landowners in the agricultural sector is main reason behind growing poverty in rural areas, low value added of crops and rising food insecurity. This is agriculture policy tools like encouraging the cultivation of certain crops through price- fixation, zoning rules, etc. are used to protect financial interests of big landowners, speculators, middlemen, etc. on well known. Just the same we also know that’s just a part of cash or price subsidies reach small and landless farmers. If this sector is to change and contribute to the economic growth, government will have to radically revise their agricultural policy, leaving the focus on small farmers. There is no shortcut to food security and economic prosperity.
Published in Dawn, August 22, 2022
