Agriculture and Its Problems in Pakistan
Introduction
From time Immemorial, agriculture has
been the major occupation of the people of Pakistan. Even today agriculture is
a major sector and occupies a very important place in the economy of Pakistan. It
not only provides food for our growing population but is a source of raw
materials for our principal industries as well as a source of foreign exchange
for our government.
32% of our gross domestic products belong
to this sector. It engages 53% of our employed labour .About 75% of our people
are engaged directly or indirectly with this profession. A large part (about
10%) of Pakistan’s exports is made up of primary commodities, including the
major cash crops. In addition to this major large scale industries like cotton
textile and sugar etc. as well as medium and small scale agro-based and cottage
industries are directly dependent on this sector for their raw materials.
Problems
Following are the causes of our backwardness
in agriculture:
1. Lack of
Education
The farmers of our country are mostly
un-educated and lack technical knowledge .They are unable to unde4rstand the
modern scientific methods of agriculture and often remain ignorant of good
means to protect and increase their yield. Their production is therefore low.
2. Lack of
Capital
The majority of our farmers are poor
and they often live in a hand to mouth position. Most of them are always under
heavy burdens of debts. So due to lack of capital they cannot afford to
purchase modern scientific implements, chemical manures, improved types of
seeds etc. Hence they can not attain the required standards.
3. Following
the Old Traditions
Most of our farmers are still stuck
to the old traditions of their fore fathers. The circumstances have compelled
them to use the crude implements, because due to small holdings of land and
poverty they are unable to acquire and use modern scientific methods. That is
why their standard is lower than that of cultivators in developed countries.
4. Water-logging
and Salinity
Due to excessive use of canal water, most
of our cultivated lands have become victims of these two dangerous diseases.
Every year, salinity alone, is turning about 1,00,000 acres of arable land into
marches and salt lands. Water-logging is no less injurious. On the other hand
the measures taken so far are quite inadequate for such issues.
5. Uneconomical
Land Holdings
Due to our law of inheritance, our
farmers command very small pieces of hands which prove to be costly. A farmer
cannot afford tractors and other machineries for a small piece of land and
those his income is low. Hence his interest is converted to some other sector.
6. Scarcity
of Water
Our farmers have to face many
problems due to scarcity of water which is one our major problems. Large tracts
of land estimated to be about 22 million acres is lying uncultivated due to
shortage of water. Rainfall is uncertain and the existing irrigational
facilities in our country are quite insufficient and need to be extended.
7. Land
Tenure System
The land tenure system of Pakistan
has creates a chain of intermediatries in between the state and the tenants. The
system, instead of being conductive to agricultural development ,stands in the
way of its progress.
8. Soil
Erosion
In some areas of our country, especially
in hilly regions, the upper fertile soil is being eroded by different natural
agents of change .Thus the fertility is poor and soils are becoming less
productive.
9. Lack of
Organized Marketing
The marketing facilities for
agricultural products in Pakistan are still far from satisfactory level. Our
cultivators can not get just prices for their produce due to defective
marketing organization. Moreover the chain of middlemen between the producers
and ultimate consumers take a heavy share of their produce .Thus the
cultivators do not take much real interest in increasing their product too.
10. Pests and
Crop Diseases
Due to lack of agricultural education
and methods of modern research, our farmers cannot control the various diseases
of crops and attacks of pests and insects. The result is low yields.
11. Poor
Means of Transportation
The agricultural activities in our
country are performed in rural areas, but most of our villages have no road or railway
links with our markets. So farmers have to face innumerable hardships to sell
their products. Hence the farmers take very little interest in their profession
and production suffers.
12. Lack of
Credit Facilities
The resources required for agricultural
operation are land, layout, live stock, farm equipment, seeds, fertilizers, irrigation,
transport etc. For the convenient and timely procurement of these resources the
farmers must have easy access to credit. The A.D.B.P and commercial banks
provide loans to the farmers which are insufficient because our farmers are
very poor.
13. Low Yield
Per Acre
Due to the above mentioned facts, it
is clear that the yield per acre of various crops in our country is
comparatively low than of the other countries. Hence we are backward
agriculturally.
Suggestions Or
Remedies To Overcome The Problems
1. Reclamation
of Land
The land which has been declared
useless due to salinity and water-logging should be reclaimed. Tube-wells
should be installed in the affected areas to decrease the salinity. Beds of new
canals should be made of concrete to avoid water-logging. These measures should
be taken on priority basis to avoid further deterioration of land.
2. Irrigation
Facilities
The major problem of agriculture in
Pakistan is scarcity of water. Most of the land is lying unused due to this
problem. Therefore, it is necessary that the irrigation facilities be extended
for increasing agricultural out put.
3. The Use Of
Fertilizers
The agricultural yield can also be increased
to a great extent by using fertilizers. The use of artificial manure should be
introduced through out the country. Due to poverty and illiteracy our farmers
hesitate to purchase the fertilizers.
4. Credit
Facilities
The use of better seeds, fertilizers
and modern implements is not possible without adequate credit facilities for
the farmers. The government has extended the existing credit facilities to a
large extent. The commercial banks also grant loans to the farmers, but still
there is a need for more facilities as our farmers are very poor.
5. Better
Seeds
The farmers should be provided better
quality seeds at the lowest price and at the right time. Better seeds will
ultimately give better yield.
6. Plant
Protection
Various plant diseases damage a large
part of our crops. But our farmers have no effective control over them. Therefore,
preventive and narrative measures should be taken throughout the country.
7. Mechanization
Mechanization of agriculture refers
to the use of various equipments the different stages of cultivation. By the
use of modern equipments better results can be achieved in the shortest time.
8. Co-operative
Farming
Co-operative farming refers to the
farming done on the basis of mutual help and co-operation. Under this method
the small holdings are consolidated .In this way the owners of small holdings
can also use fertilizers and modern equipments jointly. After harvesting, the
yield can be distributed among the owners according to their ownership.
9. Education
Level
Increase of literacy ratio in rural
areas especially in agre-education is the need of the day. The more educated
the farmers will be the better will be the results achieved.
10. Marketing
Facilities
Marketing procedures should be
simplified and various marketing facilities should be provided to the
cultivators.
11. Improvement
In The Means Of transportation And Communication
The rural areas of the country must
be provided with road and railway links with marketing centres and better means
of transport and communication should be provided.
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