2) Problems Related to Agriculture in Pakistan

💧 i. Water Scarcity and Drought Conditions

Pakistan is undergoing a critical transition from a water-surplus to a water-stressed nation. The Indus River, which provides 90% of the water for Pakistan’s agriculture, is under immense strain due to a rapidly growing population. Annual per capita water availability has plummeted from about 5,000 cubic meters in 1950 to less than 1,000 cubic meters today, crossing the threshold that defines a country as water-scarce.

This scarcity is exacerbated by massive inefficiencies in the irrigation system, where nearly one-third of the water is lost due to seepage and poorly maintained watercourses. The situation is projected to worsen, with expectations of a significant drop in food production and a potential shortfall of 70 million tons by 2025. Projects like the controversial Baglihar Dam and persistent droughts compound this crisis, posing an existential threat to the agricultural base of the economy.

⚡ ii. Energy Crunch and High Input Costs

The operation of over 1 million government tube-wells is crippled by chronic energy shortages. Farmers are forced to rely on expensive diesel-powered alternatives, whose costs soar with global hydrocarbon price hikes, placing a heavy financial burden on them. This energy crisis directly translates into higher operational costs and reduced irrigation capacity. Furthermore, the monopolistic practices of fertilizer companies, combined with increased taxes on natural gas (a key feedstock), have driven fertilizer prices to prohibitive levels. An average farmer struggles to afford essential inputs like urea, leading to suboptimal application and, consequently, lower yields and financial distress.

🛠️ iii. Outdated Systems and Practices

• Poor Extension Services: The system responsible for transferring modern farming technologies and knowledge to farmers is outdated and ineffective. Government extension services fail to reach the majority of farmers, leaving them reliant on traditional, low-yield methods instead of adopting contemporary, efficient techniques.

• Conventional Farming Practices: Small-scale farmers, in particular, are trapped using old-fashioned and inefficient farming methods. The high cost of modern machinery and technologies, coupled with small landholdings, makes it financially impossible for them to switch to more productive practices, resulting in chronically low yields per unit area.

• Lack of Modern Post-Harvest Technologies: Pakistan suffers heavy post-harvest losses, estimated at up to 35% for fruits and vegetables. This is due to a severe lack of modern storage facilities (cold chains), poor transportation infrastructure, and limited food processing units. The loss along the supply chain not only reduces the food available for consumption and export but also ensures that the farmer, who bears the initial cost of production, becomes the biggest loser.

⚖️ iv. Structural and Institutional Failures

• Absence of Land Reforms: A highly unequal land ownership structure persists, where a small elite of politically influential landlords (about 2%) captures the majority of agricultural subsidies, credit, and benefits from technological improvements. In contrast, the vast number of small-scale farmers are deprived of these supports, perpetuating poverty and inefficiency.

• Indirect Access of Farmers to Markets: The agricultural market is dominated by middlemen and commission agents. Small farmers, lacking access to transportation and market information, are forced to sell their produce to these intermediaries at unfairly low prices. This system siphons off the profits from the farmer’s hard work, preventing them from improving their socio-economic status.

• Absence of a Quality Seed Distribution Network: The widespread availability of poor-quality, uncertified, and adulterated seeds is a major impediment. Provincial Seed Corporations fail to provide sufficient certified seeds, and local distributors often misguide farmers. Low germination rates and weak plant vigor from bad seeds directly lead to reduced production.

🌳 v. Environmental and Strategic Deficiencies

• Depletion of Forests: Rampant and illegal deforestation, contributing over 92,000 cubic meters of loss annually, has severe agricultural consequences. It accelerates soil erosion, increases the severity of floods, and disrupts local climates, further endangering farmlands and water cycles.

• Absence of Ecological Cropping Belts: There is no national strategy to align crop cultivation with optimal geographical and climatic conditions. Farmers often grow crops unsuitable for their specific region’s environment, leading to sub-optimal production and unnecessary strain on local resources.

• Non-Utilization of Cultivable Waste Land: A significant portion of agricultural land in Pakistan remains cultivable wasteland. Failure to bring this land into production through reclamation and development contributes to the declining per capita availability of arable land amid rapid population growth.

• Absence of an Agricultural Value Chain: Pakistan lacks integrated “farm-to-fork” systems. For instance, while it is the 5th largest milk producer globally, less than 5% of its milk is processed. Similarly, only about 5% of fruits and vegetables are processed. Most produce is sold raw, leading to massive waste and minimal value addition. The absence of this chain means farmers capture only a tiny fraction of the final consumer price.