This world is going through a sensitive time, and already enough has been written about the causes, problems, and possible and predictable damages from climate change, global warming, and potential biological threats to human existence. Here, we will talk about timely measures. If we can apply these suggestions, we can mitigate the possible damages of climate change; instead, this is the best time to declare an agricultural emergency across the globe and particularly in Pakistan. Since the time of its creation, Pakistan’s economy has been agriculture-based, as more than 70 percent of our population is directly or indirectly related to agriculture. Agriculture remains the main contributor to the GDP for our economy, as it has been for a long time. But, now, unfortunately, this sector is damaged, and its contribution is as low as 18.9 percent. The agriculture sector was handled so roughly in the past few decades that our hearts must cry while looking at the present situation. Despite having all the potential, the agriculture sector fails miserably to uplift our economy or our people’s right to enjoy a good and healthy life.
Why do our people not enjoy good health conditions in general? The main reason is nutritional deficiencies. Even when they are in their 40s and early 50s, people start complaining about pain in the muscles and bones. The majority of our country’s population does not enjoy the very basic fundamental human right of access to a balanced diet.
If one cannot get that, then deficiency symptoms start appearing in the human body; and the symptoms include feeling weakness, pain in muscles and bones, and so on. In particular, vegetables are a vital source of many key nutrients, including vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid, and dietary fiber. Several factors are involved in the shortage. Among all aspects, a few of them are as follows: the non-availability of a sufficient amount of vegetables in the market.
And on the other hand, we are spending our millions of rupees to buy these vegetables where we have the potential to produce and grow them in our own country. Our farmers are not focusing much on the production of vegetables. The possible reason is the high cost of production, as the government has never given due importance to the agriculture sector and any significant subsidies to farmers as they should have been given. Now, as a result of that, growers are getting out of this business and shifting their interest somewhere else. And the area production is getting decreased annually. These are agricultural aspects we need to work on in an emergency if we want to survive and become self-dependent. Kitchen gardening, rooftop gardening, tunnel farming, crop rotation, ruler reforms modification, Ruler /urban imbalance, and optimal land use helps us gain that independence.
In comparison to China and India, where is the agriculture sector? How much are we adding to our economy? Our government should think seriously about agriculture, science, and technology, as we are already far behind the rest of the world. Appointment of the people who know modern agriculture and those who understand the agricultural economy dynamics would indeed bolstering the nation’s agrarian sector.
Let’s look at the example of China’s government. Agriculture experts analyze the situation for the upcoming five years and recommend the policy and plan for the coming five years that crops the country needs the most. Farmers and growers are bound to follow the government plan. An annual evaluation of the policy and recommendations meeting in a year with strict rules and regulations with the idea of reward (to those who implemented the plan and guidance in its real sense). Nations make progress and emerge as great nations when government, people, and institutions are on one page We need to learn from the great Chinese wisdom and development models, mainly rural development models, which are being praised across the globe, and these models helped China overcome poverty.
In comparison to China and India, where is the agriculture sector? How much are we adding to our economy? Our government should think seriously about agriculture, science, and technology, as we are already far behind the rest of the world. Appointment of the people who know modern agriculture and those who understand the agricultural economy dynamics would indeed bolstering the nation’s agrarian sector.
