FAISALABAD: Despite being an agricultural country, imports of essential items have crossed Rs 10 billion while production of major crops are facing stagnation for the last two decades. For which, the agricultural scientists, and experts will have to formulate strategies.
These views were expressed by experts while addressing the participants of a workshop on Agriculture Sector: SWOT Analysis organized by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF). The workshop was chaired by Vice Chancellor Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Marri, while UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Agricultural University Multan Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asif Ali, Islamia University Bahawalpur Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Athar Mehboob, Cholistan Veterinary University Prof Dr Muhammad Sajjad, DG Extension Punjab Anjum Ali Butter and UVAS Lahore Vice Chancellor Dr Nasim Ahmad also addressed the gathering.
Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Marri said that poverty alleviation was directly linked to agriculture sector. He said if the agriculture sector contribution to GDP grows by 6 percent every year, it would reduce poverty by 50 percent. He said that loans to small farmers and ensuring agricultural inputs to the small farmers will help combat low productivity. He said that it was imperative to persuade the private sector to invest in agriculture. He urged the extension workers to go to the villages and make every effort for the farmers to get aware of the agricultural recommendations and technologies. He said that more than half of the population of Pakistan is suffering from malnutrition.
Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that agriculture was facing challenges like low productivity, climate change, post-harvest losses, rural development, water scarcity, and uncertified seeds etc. He said that increases in productivity and value addition are essential to make agriculture attractive and profitable. He said that more than 40 percent of crops are wasted in the post-harvest process. He said that Pakistan is one of the countries which were suffering water scarcity challenges. A campaign should be launched to ensure the rational usage of water. He said that chemically contaminated water of the industry was polluting the groundwater. He said a house plan in Australia does not approve unless it was fitted with a rainwater storage tank.
"Despite huge potential, we have limited agriculture to only five crops. However, in order to make agriculture profitable, high value crops should be promoted. He was of the view that climate changes had started playing havoc with the agriculture sector, resulting in low productivity and breaking out of new diseases for which new varieties would have to be introduced. He said that Okara was having good production of potato. Same model of other crops can be formulated in other districts.
Prof. Dr. Asif Ali said that the goal of poverty alleviation could not be achieved without ensuring rural development. He said that provision of best seeds to the farmers would not only increase the productivity of the country but also make the farmers economically prosperous. He said that India is far ahead in the production of cheese and it is used as an everyday food but we are still lagging behind in the preparation of cheese. He said that efforts should be made to curb the irrational use of water. He said that there is a big difference between the agricultural productivity of the progressive and traditional farmer for which the journey of development can be ensured by equipping the traditional farmer with modern trends.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sajjad Khan said that we have to work to increase the productivity of livestock instead of the number of animals so that the economic condition of the farmer can be improved. He said that the majority of the population of Pakistan is engaged in agriculture. He emphasized on value addition in agriculture. Dr. Anjum Bhutter said that the Punjab government was using all its resources to solve the problems of the farmers for agricultural development.-PR
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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