Muhammad Saleem

Agri-tech is playing a crucial role in the development of agriculture across the globe, and Pakistani farmers also need modern technologies to enhance productivity as traditional methods of farming are becoming increasingly redundant amid changing weather and cultivation patterns, said Dr Khan, a faculty member of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. In an interview with WealthPK, he said private companies have developed applications helping farmers to get the latest information on pest attacks, crop diseases and other threats to their crops. However, he said the companies are adopting such approaches only to retain their clients rather than empowering the growers. He urged policymakers to take decisive actions and go for agri-tech to transform the agriculture sector of Pakistan. “Without adopting the latest technologies, we cannot enhance our productivity and ensure farmers prosperity,” he said. “Our institutions must explore ways to equip farmers with the technological advancements that are transforming the agricultural landscape globally,” he added. Bilal Ahmed, a progressive farmer, told WealthPK that it's praiseworthy that the federal and Punjab governments have moved to devise strategies for the promotion of modern agri-technologies.

He said it is time for the farmers to receive training on how to tackle climate-related challenges using climate-resilient seeds. He said without embracing modern methods and technologies ‘we cannot enhance productivity and ensure food security. “Farmers are struggling to tackle challenges arising out of changing weather patterns. The government must extend help to them,” he added. Bilal emphasised that protection of farmers means safeguarding the agriculture sector, which is the backbone of the national economy. Federal Minister of State for IT and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja, while chairing a meeting recently, said the government is focusing on digitalization and agriculture. She said agri-tech is imperative to develop the agriculture sector and ensure prosperity of farmers. She said the government is working to ensure technological solutions for all stakeholders, particularly farmers.  Dr Khan, the Faisalabad varsity faculty member, said: “We have to make Artificial Intelligence part of the agriculture sector as this technology is transforming every segment of the society. He said AI is helping farmers get to know about health of their crops, pest attacks and other issues.

“Our farmers need a one-stop solution to these issues,” he said, adding that modern technologies have the potential to effectively resolve farmers' challenges. Bashir Ahmed, another farmer, told WealthPK that Pakistan’s agriculture sector is grappling with multiple issues like unpredictable weather, water scarcity, limited resources, inadequate storage facilities, poor price mechanisms and the dominance of middlemen. “Embracing the latest technologies can help resolve all these issues.” “We must adopt new methods of cultivation where we can use sensors and develop our crops data for future analysis. Without precision agriculture, we cannot ensure sustainable agricultural progress,” he said. “Drone technology is now frequently used to ensure good yield through spraying, land mapping and health monitoring of the crop. However, Pakistan lags behind in this technology,” Bashir said. He urged the government to launch awareness programs for farmers with the help of NGOs so that growers could get knowledge of modern technologies.

Credit: INP-WealthPk