Muhammad Saleem

Small farmers’ preference for traditional farming and their reluctance to switch over to the latest agricultural techniques is leading to low productivity, reports WealthPK. During interviews with Faisalabad-based farming community, it transpired that many of the farmers strictly adhered to traditional farming and refused to adopt the latest techniques, without any logical reasons, to increase their produce and income. Talking to WealthPK, Ashiq Ali, a small farmer, said he still employed the old techniques that he had learned from his elders. “I know how to use a cell phone. I often receive messages from the agriculture department about theoretical information. The department is working for the progressive farmers rather than extending help to us small growers who are in majority in Pakistan,” Ashiq said. “By employing modern techniques, we can enhance productivity and minimize our food related imports. As Pakistan is an agricultural country, it's a matter of grave concern for us that we are spending a hefty amount on the import of produce. It is about time to bring young agriculture experts forward for the training of the farmers on their doorstep,” said Dr Iqbal, a teacher of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF), while talking to WealthPK.

In the past, the UAF used to dispatch students to different villages to train farmers; however, we have to relaunch this practice to promote the modern techniques, he said. “Without introducing our farmers to the modern methods, we can’t bring our agriculture sector to the next level. Scores of even small countries are getting good crops by employing the latest cultivation methods but in Pakistan the situation is totally different. “We have to accept that the majority of our farmers are illiterate and they don't like to adopt the modern methods,” Dr Iqbal said. Speaking to WealthPK, Dr Ahmed from the same university said practical training of farmers on the modern lines was the key to the agricultural growth of Pakistan. “It is very much clear that investment in modern training will surely give results, and it must be declared mandatory rather than thinking it as an option,” he added. It is the need of the hour to unlock the potential of our farmers by imparting them training on modern lines.

Without equipping them with the latest methods, we cannot ensure food security for our nation. Modern agriculture with knowledgeable farmers is the lifeline for us,” he said. Pleading anonymity, an officer of the Punjab Agriculture Department said they were trying their best to introduce innovative ways to train the farmers. He said the department was facing an acute shortage of funds but the government was determined to impart modern training to the farmers who were the backbone of the agriculture sector. “We know that the farmers are unable to adopt the latest technology due to financial constraints and lack of awareness. Owing to these flaws, he said their progress and innovation in agriculture was not seen. “Our farmers are still not very aware how to preserve water, when, how and what quantity of fertilizer is appropriate for a crop, and how to preserve and harvest the crop in a modern way,” he said. “We have observed that the farmers who were imparted training in the past demonstrated exceptional results,” he added. 

Credit: INP-WealthPk