Muhammad Saleem

Punjab is embracing climate-smart agriculture, enhancing crop productivity through government initiatives, farmer training, and innovative technology.

Dr. Khan, an agricultural scientist, told WealthPK that climate-smart agriculture was the way forward to address the emerging challenges. He explained that climate change was transforming the cultivation patterns, and it was the primary responsibility of agricultural scientists to step up efforts and provide practical solutions to tackle these issues.

He stressed the need to promote regenerative agricultural practices, reduce post-harvesting losses, improve processing procedures, and incorporate value-added machinery into the agriculture sector. “By introducing these strategies, we can significantly enhance product quality, which will ultimately increase market value and enable farmers to earn better profits – both locally and internationally.

Besides, improved access to markets is also crucial for Pakistan’s agriculture sector development and for solidifying the financial position of farmers,” he said. Dr Khan further said it was praiseworthy that the Punjab government had introduced multiple projects recognizing the pressing issues of agriculture and expressed hope that these initiatives will produce positive results in the near future.

Hameed, an officer of the agriculture department, told WealthPK that the Punjab government was going all out to encourage climate-smart production by installing high-efficiency irrigation systems on 40,000 acres. This practice, he said, will improve crop yield and reduce water consumption. Water is a critical resource for agriculture and its shortage is increasing day by day. He said the people at the helm were also well aware of water availability challenges and measures were being taken to preserve this precious natural asset.

Similarly, he said no effort was being spared to lower carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. As part of this plan, he said solar-powered high-efficiency irrigation systems were being installed on 20,000 acres. Dr. Khan said the farmers were feeling the pinch, as their expenses continued to increase with each passing day due to inflation. The current situation demands effective farmer training and availability of agricultural inputs at affordable rates, he added.

Speaking to WealthPK, Dr. Muhammad, an environment department teacher at a state-run university, said the installation of solar systems for irrigation would be a game-changer for sustainable farming practices in Punjab. He explained that this initiative would drastically reduce the farmers’ reliance on fossil fuels, ultimately reducing their inflated electricity bills.

The farmers’ profits are dwindling while their operational costs are straining their finances. Owing to this factor, they are perturbed and are finding ways to cut costs to ensure their long-term viability. He said carbon emissions were associated with the traditional energy sources and the farmers could play a vital role in cleaning up the environment.

Farmers need financial assistance and comprehensive training to effectively maintain and utilize these solar-powered systems. This shift from conventional energy sources to renewable energy is crucial following the country’s alarmingly polluted environment. There is a need to clean our environmental footprint to ensure cleaner air and water for all Pakistanis, he added.

Credit: INP-WealthPk