KARACHI:
Many remain unaware of the fact that rural farmers are by far the most vulnerable in Pakistan. Not only has it become impossible for them to earn a living amid a severe economic crunch brought about by the pandemic, but natural disasters and extreme weather conditions have further aggravated the deplorable conditions they are living in.
In light of these multiple factors that have adversely affected their livelihood, farmers have urged the government to introduce a new and improved farmers policy, in line with the latest global trends. One cannot fathom why, in an agrarian country whose economy primarily depends on agriculture, these changes aren’t already made. The agricultural sector should by now be thriving and contributing immensely at uplifting the economy. Instead, the it remains neglected. The price of basic agricultural materials such as DAP and urea are much higher as compared to India, while on the other hand adverse policies continue to create many obstacles for farmers. Apart from this, the shortage of electricity and water coupled with high tax have made it impossible for farmers to earn a profit. Thus, they forced to increase the price of their commodities when selling to urban markets, which in turn causes severe inflation.
By addressing the issues presented at the recent farmers’ convention, officials need to focus most on subsidising agricultural inputs to increase crop yields in order to safeguard the economic rights of farmers. Furthermore, the authorities need to revamp existing research centers that are currently non-functional so as to encourage technological innovation within the sector. It is time to empower our farmers.
Khursheed Baig
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2020.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
