Arooj Zulfiqar

Pakistan’s agriculture sector is a fundamental driver of the country’s economic growth, contributing to food security, employment and overall development. However, the disappointing performance of the sector during the current fiscal year highlights the urgent need for a multifaceted strategy to turn it around.

“The country’s agriculture sector missed the growth target of 3.5% set for the outgoing financial year and grew at only 1.55%,” said Muhammad Azeem Tariq, principal scientific officer at the National Agriculture Research Centre, Islamabad. He told WealthPK that, “We need to understand the underlying reasons behind the low productivity, and adopt a comprehensive approach to achieve the desired outcomes in future.”

“Factors such as climate change, limited resources, population growth and evolving consumer demands pose significant challenges to both farmers and policymakers,” he said. “It is vital to recognise the complex challenges facing the agriculture sector that are affecting its productivity,” an official of the Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, told WealthPK on condition of anonymity.

He said: “Pakistan, as the most vulnerable country to climate change, faced one of the worst floods in its history in 2022. The unprecedented floods caused significant damage to the agriculture sector, with vast areas of farmland submerged and crops and livestock ruined.” He suggested that effective policy frameworks and governance mechanisms were critical for creating an enabling environment for the agriculture sector. “The government should formulate policies that prioritise agriculture, provide financial incentives, and support research and development.”

“Coherence in policies related to agriculture, trade and rural development is vital. Establishing robust governance structures that promote stakeholder participation, transparency, and accountability are essential for the successful implementation and monitoring of agricultural strategies,” he stated.

According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2022-23, the agriculture sector recorded about 1.55% growth during the outgoing fiscal year as against the growth of 4.27% a year before due to the catastrophic floods that pushed the domestic production below the required levels. This growth was majorly driven by main crops such as wheat and sugarcane.

Agriculture Growth (Base=2015-2016) %

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk