Abdul Rauf
The Prime Minister’s public frustration over the outdated state of Pakistan’s agricultural sector is not only understandable — it is long overdue. Agriculture, despite being the lifeblood of Pakistan’s economy, has suffered from decades of mismanagement, indifference, and a troubling resistance to progress. This sector, which feeds the nation, employs the largest portion of its workforce, and supplies raw materials to its most vital export industry — textiles — is in dire straits.
What makes this neglect so maddening is not merely the inefficiency or loss in productivity; it’s the gradual dismantling of a natural advantage Pakistan once enjoyed. Once considered a regional agricultural powerhouse, Pakistan has watched its position slip while others with fewer natural resources leapfrogged ahead through innovation, technology, and sound policy. Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to farm like it’s the early 1900s.
At the heart of this crisis is the near-total absence of mechanization. Basic tasks like sowing, fertilizing, and harvesting are still largely performed manually. Traditional flood irrigation methods, which waste as much as 40% of water through evaporation and seepage, still dominate despite the country facing a water crisis. There’s little sign of adoption of proven, modern solutions such as drip or sprinkler irrigation, satellite monitoring, or AI-based yield forecasting — all of which are widely used in less agriculturally endowed nations.
This backwardness is not a result of ignorance or lack of global exposure. The knowledge exists, the tools are available, and successful models can be observed around the world. Countries like Israel, the Netherlands, and even parts of Africa have demonstrated how innovation, data, and policy reforms can turn barren land into fertile profit centers. The problem in Pakistan is a fundamental failure of governance — a deep-seated institutional inertia that has made agricultural reform an afterthought.
Despite being the largest employer in Pakistan, agriculture is treated more like a peripheral concern than a national priority. There’s been little movement toward digitizing land records, facilitating access to high-quality seeds, or ensuring timely and affordable credit to farmers. This lack of support traps farmers in cycles of debt and low productivity, leaving them vulnerable to market shocks, climate change, and crop failure. As yields drop and food prices rise, Pakistan is forced to import basic staples that it once exported with ease — a humiliating and avoidable reality.
Perhaps the most alarming consequence of this stagnation is the toll it has taken on Pakistan’s textile industry. As the largest earner of foreign exchange and a key employer, the textile sector relies heavily on a steady supply of high-quality local cotton. But due to antiquated farming methods and declining cotton production, textile mills are often forced to import raw materials, driving up production costs and weakening Pakistan’s competitiveness in global markets. This situation is more than just an economic inconvenience; it’s a strategic vulnerability.
The Prime Minister’s outburst is thus more than a political gesture — it’s a necessary wake-up call. For too long, agriculture policy has been left in the hands of disconnected bureaucrats and outdated institutions. What’s needed now is a full-scale reimagining of the sector as a pillar of national security and economic sovereignty.
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This means implementing real, measurable reforms. Mechanization must be prioritized, starting with affordable leasing programs for modern equipment. Water management must be revolutionized with widespread promotion and subsidization of drip and sprinkler systems. Land ownership and tenancy laws need urgent reform to protect farmers and encourage investment. Research institutions must be revived and connected to global innovation networks, while public-private partnerships should be forged to build out cold chains, storage, and transportation infrastructure.
Equally critical is the need for cultural change in how the government approaches agriculture. Accountability must be introduced at all levels — from ministers to local extension workers. Performance metrics should replace empty promises. Pilot projects must be tested rigorously and scaled only when proven successful. International expertise should be welcomed not as a formality but as a strategic asset, and local capacity must be built alongside foreign collaboration.
Moreover, technology must be seen not as an added bonus but a central pillar. Mobile platforms can help disseminate real-time information on weather, pricing, and crop health. AI and machine learning can help optimize planting schedules and predict disease outbreaks. Blockchain can improve supply chain traceability, giving Pakistan’s exports an edge in a competitive global market increasingly driven by transparency and standards.
And none of this can happen without meaningful investment. The government must allocate serious budgetary resources toward agriculture modernization and create incentive structures that attract private capital. Farmers need access to affordable loans, crop insurance, and modern warehousing facilities to manage risk and plan for the long term.
The stakes could not be higher. Agriculture is not just about food — it’s about employment, exports, inflation control, water security, and social stability. When this sector fails, the entire economy wobbles. Inflation spikes, trade deficits widen, rural poverty deepens, and unrest becomes more likely. In contrast, a thriving agricultural base can support industrial growth, reduce import dependency, stabilize food prices, and create millions of jobs.
The Prime Minister’s visible frustration must now translate into sustained policy action. It should be the catalyst for a new era of agricultural transformation — one that is data-driven, environmentally sustainable, and economically inclusive. Pakistan has the land, the water, the labor, and the knowledge. What it has lacked is the political will and coherent strategy. That must change — and now.
The land is waiting. The farmers are ready. The tools are within reach. What remains is for leadership to rise to the occasion, with the urgency and vision this crisis demands. Pakistan cannot afford to let another decade of opportunity slip through its fingers. The time to act is now.
