Meher Azeem Hakro
Agriculture is considered the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, which is heavily dependent on its major crops of wheat, rice, sugarcane and cotton. Agriculture is also important because of its contribution to employment generation and national income. The whole world is currently in the grip of an economic crisis due to the devastation of the coronavirus. Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the entire world, underscores the importance of sustaining agricultural production and the supply chain. The impact on agriculture is likely to be felt in the near future and in the long run, and it is difficult to predict its exact nature and impact on agriculture. So Covid-19 can cause food insecurity in the days to come. Experts also say that coronavirus can destroy economies and only strong agricultural countries can protect their economies and maintain food security. Our country is going through Covid-19 pandemic and political instability which can lead to food security and economic stagnation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to focus on agriculture, livestock and the rural economy. We are fortunate that there is no shortage of natural resources, so focusing on the agricultural sector can help alleviate poverty and food insecurity. Pakistan has been gifted a large population of livestock that is adapted to local environmental conditions. There are many opportunities in the livestock business and more needs to be done in this area. However, the sector provides raw materials to industry and livestock creates markets and capital. Livestock also provide protection against crop failure, especially in barani areas. Thus, it is an ideal sector for investment if one wants to focus on alleviating poverty in the most deserving areas, i.e. rural areas. In rural Pakistan, the role of women in agriculture is more pronounced because they contribute a lot to agriculture, but their contribution to agriculture is not acknowledged. Women in rural areas lack equal access to productive resources and assets, while much of their labor remains invisible and unpaid. Rural women have a greater role to play in men’s work, but the need for women at home and the national level should be recognized by the completion of the female gender. And in order to achieve overall agricultural economic productivity and alleviate rural poverty, these women need to be empowered and encouraged. Various steps have been taken for agrarian reforms in Pakistan but for sustainable development it is necessary to take steps to improve the condition of the workforce working in this sector. Moreover, the government should work on the development of high yielding varieties of wheat, expansion of irrigation infrastructure, modernization of management techniques, distribution of hybridized seeds, artificial fertilizers and pesticides. Poverty is on the rise in Pakistan, a green revolution is needed. Education, health and agrarian reforms can lift people out of poverty.
(-The writer is a freelance columnist, based in Islamabad.)