Pakistan is essentially an agricultural country, given the percentage of agricultural products it exports and the people employed in this sector. Given these facts, it is alarming to note that the problems faced by the agriculture sector are one of the least addressed issues of the Pakistani economy.
Pakistan is on the verge of facing food shortage in the future. This was revealed by experts at Latif Ebrahim Jamal (LEJ) National Science Information Center, Karachi University (KU) earlier this week.
Renowned agricultural and biological scientists spoke during the press conference. They also raised public awareness about the potential of biotechnology commercialization for achieving sustainable development.
The experts urged the government to modernize the agriculture system to ensure food security and poverty alleviation.
Causes of the Food Shortage
The experts said that in comparison to other agricultural countries of the world, yield per hectare in Pakistan is among the lowest.
Pakistan has low yield per acre due to traditional methods of cultivation and harvesting. This means that Pakistan produces a low output of crops per acre.
The Director of International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (KU) Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary said,
“The country is approaching towards drastic famine as irrigation lands are being reduced due to shortage of water.”
He emphasized on the role of concerned authorities towards this matter and said,
“Pakistan’s agriculture sector needs proper attention of the authorities concerned, as it owns a fundamental role in ensuring food safety, generating overall financial growth, dropping poverty and the transforming towards industrialization.”
Sardar Atif Sultan, Prof Dr. Ghulam Sarwar Markhand, Director Date Palm Research Institute (DPRI) Shah Abdul Latif University, and Prof Dr Abdul Razak Mahar also addressed the conference.
The experts said that the country may face severe famine (food scarcity) mainly due to reduction in irrigation land. They listed the major causes behind this deteriorating situation such as:
- Water shortage
- Flooding
- Old agriculture practices
- Lack of facilities for farmers
Is There a Solution to this Problem?
The experts presented some solutions to help cope with the problem of food scarcity. They suggested that Biotechnology can bring food security as the technology has great potential to reshape the agriculture sector according to the modern needs of the country.
Prof Dr Ghulam Sarwar Markhand highlighted the past, present and future of Agri-biotechnology in Pakistan.
Along with introducing new techniques, the provision of high quality seeds to farmers and the promotion of commercial farming at the government level can increase agricultural productivity in the country and help minimize the possibility of food shortage in the country.
via DailyTimes
we pakistanis dont care about problems in the future …
I’m a Pakistani too and i don’t agree with your statement.
So am I, and I don’t agree with his statement either. But agreeing or not agreeing is a different ball game. The truth is contrary to our agreement.
Let’s agree to disagree.
We do care about our problems, but we don’t care about problems in our neighborhood, if a farmer living in your neighborhood his problems are not your problems thats how this nation is thinking, in ground reality, his problems are basically this nation’s problems. Farmers won’t face the food shortage, but rest of nation will. There is a famous Quote in Punjabi “Jatt bhooka nahi marda” but rest of people will, if whole nation keep going on this direction as we are now.
water shortage and flooding. Save the waters from floods and use it to meet agricultural needs.
Sorry, we don’t need to build dams as we are busy in orange and yellow trains, bhook lagy gi tou loha khane ka mashwara aiga Govt ki taraf se
gg aur imran khan ko PM banaye takay woh khana jangi aur civil nafarmani ko aur hawa dai
What this article failed to mention is good things about Pakistan agriculture.
First good thing is that soil in Pakistan is still rich in nutrients because of low yield. If you try to push too much yield then nutrients in soil will decrease and after some years you won’t be able to have same average which you used to get even from the best of methods. Another good thing is rivers and canals bring nutrient rich fresh top layer soil from mountains accumulating through the way. This means soil nutrients are replenished and fertility is kept at a balance in most of areas with access to canal water.
That is one advantage Pakistan has which no other country has related to agriculture. Even Punjab of India has lost much of its fertility but fertility of land in Punjab of Pakistan is still intact at large. Another issue is waterlogging which can be solved by pumping water from specific land to nearby crops so water levels go down to enable good conditions for crop cultivation.
Only if government take initiative then I believe we can cater food requirements of almost quarter of the world population for many years to come increasing GDP to new levels and life of farmer to prosperity.
Just save our water from India and use biotechnology.
Building dams mean you have; 1- to justify your case in UN to save your water from India, 2- your water instead of destroying people homes by means of flood will be used to generate electricity, 3- you can have control of water and then use that excess water to use for crops.
May Allah give us a leader who can understand these things and implement accordingly.
No one will come down from haven to help us. If you think you can be a good leader who can resolve country’s problem, be one.
Home Gardening must be encourage.
in my opinion we need research base agriculture second we must keep eye on quality seed if we need to increase per acr yield production .third need to support farmers in multi direction ( economically ,technically education ) last and the most important thing is farm to market stander road thousand of tones our vegetables ,fruits etc waste due to lack of poor road network.
Aur Na Banao DAM.
If Food shortage, its Pakistani Leaders are responsible, for lack of planning.
sssshhhhh.. don’t say negative things about Purestani people & their Mayan era customs & traditions. You’ll be deemed traitor and RAW agents.
Brainless patwaris spotted in comments.
ALLAH has said that: A nation of IDIOTS will get appointed BASTARD rulers. since last 10 years we have 2 floods of highest magnitude EVERY year. 1 flood around moonsoon time ans 2nd flood is when India “Flushes” over country from north to south by releasing his unwanted water towards us …. & WE the PAKiSTaNiES claim SHoRTaGe of Water ……….. (Hahahahaha & then Hehehehehe)