Aspects of Agriculture in Pakistan

<h1>Aspects of Agriculture in Pakistan</h1> <p>There are various aspects of&nbsp;<a href="https://fasalbachao.com/" target="_blank">agriculture in Pakistan</a>. These factors include agriculture GDP, types of crops grown, climate change and irrigation system. The government should also introduce strict rules and laws to regulate the prices of agricultural products. Agricultural products should be regulated with market inspectors. This will help in ensuring that consumers are getting a good deal.</p> <h2>Agricultural GDP</h2> <p>The relationship between agricultural GDP in Pakistan and major crops was examined in a recent study. It found a positive relationship between agricultural GDP and the production of cotton, wheat, maize, and sugarcane. However, the relationship between agricultural GDP and water availability was negative. These findings suggest that new government policies and funding schemes should be considered to increase the country&apos;s agricultural output.</p> <p>The agricultural sector is an important part of the economy in Pakistan. It contributes around 22 percent of the national GDP and accounts for one percent of the country&apos;s tax revenue. In addition, it absorbs 44 percent of the country&apos;s labour force. While this sector has long been the mainstay of the country&apos;s economy, there is a lack of infrastructure and other elements required for its development.</p> <p>The primary agricultural sector contributes around 21% of the nation&apos;s GDP. Major crops in Pakistan are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables. The country&apos;s irrigation system is one of the largest in the world. Crop seasons in Pakistan begin in May, and end in November. The wheat crop is harvested from November through April. Efforts to improve the agricultural sector in Pakistan must focus on efficient use of water and land.</p> <p>Agriculture plays a key role in Pakistan&apos;s economy, providing employment for the bulk of its labor force. The country also faces challenges in domestic trade. Agricultural exports account for about 11 percent of the country&apos;s total exports. However, downstream industries are responsible for generating 40 percent of Pakistan&apos;s export revenue.</p> <p>However, the agricultural sector has been struggling in recent years. Despite this, Pakistan&apos;s overall poverty rate has decreased over the last decade. Between 2001-02 and 2005-06, the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line went down from 34.7 percent to 21.9 percent. In 2007-08, that percentage dropped to 17.2 percent. The increase in farm income accounted for nearly a third of the overall decrease in poverty in the country.</p> <h2>Crops grown</h2> <p>Crops grown in Pakistan are important for human nutrition. They provide protein and other nutrients needed by the human body. However, until recent years, they were not given a priority position in the country&apos;s food production. Some of the major crops grown in Pakistan include canola, rapeseed, cotton, and sunflower. These crops are grown for their high oil and protein content. Even though the quantity of these crops grown locally in Pakistan is not large, they are an important source of edible oil.</p> <p>Crop production in Pakistan is affected by low productivity and low wages. In addition, poor marketing and supply chain integration have negatively impacted food production in the country. The quality of products produced is also reduced. Despite these challenges, Pakistan&apos;s agriculture industry remains one of the most important sectors of the economy.</p> <p>Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops grown in Pakistan. It is a member of the family Poaceae in the kingdom Plantae and is believed to have been domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 9600 BCE. It is a highly nutritious food source and provides the human body with essential amino acids and dietary fibre. One hundred grams of wheat contains around 1,368 kilocalories. It is used to make bread and other foods.</p> <p>Pakistan is an agricultural country that relies heavily on irrigation water. About 58% of its land is under irrigation. Many people depend on agriculture for their livelihood. The main crops grown in Pakistan include wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton, and maize.</p> <h2>Irrigation system</h2> <p>The current Irrigation system in Pakistan is facing a number of challenges, and the country needs to improve its water management practices to maintain water quality. Surface water shortages are exacerbated by the unregulated use of groundwater, and the country has one of the highest salinity problems in the world.</p> <p>The construction of dams on rivers in Pakistan has affected water flows and has created unrest among locals. Efforts are needed to address these issues as quickly as possible. The new irrigation system will help increase agricultural production in Pakistan and improve food security. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $275 million loan for the project.</p> <p>Irrigation is critical to agriculture in Pakistan. About 80 percent of Pakistan&apos;s cultivable land is irrigated. The irrigation system has evolved from traditional lift irrigation to more modern canal systems. The country&apos;s water supply has become depleted in some areas due to the unreliable weather conditions, and Pakistan&apos;s rainfall is concentrated in the north. Inefficient use of water resources is also a major challenge. Some farms still rely on groundwater to water their crops.</p> <p>A surface irrigation system is often the least expensive irrigation method. However, it requires a lot of labour. In addition, the irrigation practice needs to be meticulously followed to achieve high irrigation efficiency. For instance, in large fields, water progress must be closely monitored, and good judgment is required to stop the irrigation at the right time.</p> <p>The water resources of Pakistan have been estimated to be 144 MAF, 93 MAF, and 51 MAF. The water problem was eventually resolved through international mediation in 1960 when Pakistan and India signed the Indus Water Treaty. The treaty allowed India to use the Eastern Rivers (Sutlej, Bias, and Ravi), while Pakistan has exclusive rights over the western rivers (Jhelum, Indus, and Chenab).</p> <h2>Climate change</h2> <p>The agriculture sector in Pakistan is very vulnerable to climate change. The institutions that work with farmers and the government can help them manage risk and adapt to climate change. A recent study in Punjab province examined the capabilities of public institutions in this regard. The study identified the need for further research on these issues. This paper focuses on the public sector and focuses on its role in the adaptation process.</p> <p>Climate change is affecting the intensity of rainfall and the amount of precipitation. Currently, many parts of Pakistan receive less than 250 mm of rainfall annually. This is limiting the ability of farmers to maintain crop yields. As a result, further improvements in irrigation infrastructure including canals, channels, and dams will be required. In addition, more efforts will need to be made to conserve water. Pakistan&apos;s livestock industry contributes about 41% of the country&apos;s greenhouse gases.</p> <p>Pakistan&apos;s government recognizes the importance of climate adaptation and has prioritized it in its national climate change policy. However, despite this, Pakistan is among the countries that have the lowest adaptive capacity. This is partly due to extreme poverty and a lack of resources. However, it has started adopting adaptation measures and is already implementing a national climate change policy. It is important for Pakistan to take these measures and adapt to climate change.</p> <p>The agriculture sector in Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change. The country is ranked as the eighth most affected country in terms of climate change from 2000 to 2019. This puts the country at risk of a variety of climate disasters that may threaten the lives of thousands of farmers and destroy billions of dollars in agriculture and infrastructure. Hence, questions about the relationship between climate risk and Pakistan&apos;s agriculture are increasingly being raised.</p> <h2>Agricultural mechanization</h2> <p>The Government of Pakistan has taken various initiatives to improve the agricultural sector and modernize agriculture. These initiatives include easy long-term credit facilities, farmer education programs, and subsidized inputs. These initiatives also facilitate the purchase of agricultural machinery at low tax rates. In Pakistan, the Government has launched various agricultural mechanization projects.</p> <p>Agricultural mechanization in Pakistan has been hampered by a lack of agricultural machinery manufacturing units. Only one major agricultural machinery manufacturer exists in the country, which produces agricultural machinery for a limited number of applications. Moreover, these firms do not possess design engineering and quality control facilities. This results in low-quality products and a lack of customer satisfaction.</p> <p>Although Pakistan is an agrarian country, mechanization helps farmers make better use of inputs and increase yields. However, agricultural mechanization in Pakistan is only selective. It has only been adopted by a few large farms and largely does not serve the needs of small and medium-sized farms. Approximately 28 per cent of Pakistan&apos;s farms are under two ha. The rest are between two and ten ha in size. Only 4% of Pakistan&apos;s farms are larger than 20 ha.</p> <p>The Ministry of Industry should work out an integrated program of action and involve the private sector. The Investment Promotion Bureau should consider the feasibility of private sector projects. The Ministry of Industry should also engage with the Ministry of Production in the implementation of the projects. The Agricultural Machinery Division should be directly associated with selected manufacturers and supervise the production of prototypes.</p> <p>The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has promoted mechanization by developing the Agricultural Engineering Cell. In mid-1976, the PARC-AEC collaborated with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to set up the IRRI-PAX Agricultural Machinery Programme. The programme operated in temporary facilities from 1976 to 1979. After that, the IRRI-PAX Programme relocated to a modest building at the National Agricultural Research Center Islamabad. Since then, the PAX Programme and the IRRI have become integrated.</p>