KARACHI:
An agricultural system inevitably collapses when it is deprived of its essential elements. In Balochistan, cultivated land accounts for merely 7% of the province’s total geographical area due to severe water scarcity — an alarming statistic considering that 70% of the rural population relies directly on agriculture for its livelihood.
As the land continues to dry up, groundwater levels are receding at a dangerous rate each year. In several districts, the water table has plunged to a depth of 800 to 1,000 feet, making deep drilling financially impossible for small-scale farmers. Over the decades, the number of tube wells surged from 5,000 to over 40,000, severely over-extracting and depleting the underground aquifers. In the Kech district, tube wells have run completely dry, local dams and reservoirs are exhausted, and farmers are left with no means to irrigate their crops.
Before the 1990s, Balochistan was proudly known as the Fruit Basket of Pakistan. Regions like Quetta, Pishin, Mastung, Ziarat and Kalat produced high-quality apples, grapes and cherries, while Turbat, Panjgur and Kech were renowned worldwide for producing the finest Begum Jangi dates. Today, agricultural yields are declining year after year. Even where fertile land remains available, skyrocketing inflation and input costs prevent farmers from cultivating crops.
Ultimately, the uncontrolled over-extraction of groundwater, lack of water storage infrastructure, climate change, inefficient irrigation practices and persistent government neglect are the primary drivers turning fertile fields into arid wasteland. This crisis extends far beyond crop failure — it threatens the socio-economic structure of rural communities. To prevent total collapse, the government must take immediate, proactive steps, including investing in sustainable solar-powered irrigation systems, efficient water management and modern storage facilities.
Sumaira Ali
Turbat
