Agriculture has always been the backbone of our economy, supporting millions of livelihoods and contributing significantly to GDP.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s consultative meeting with agricultural scientists, re-searchers and experts underscores government’s seriousness in modernising this critical sector to achieve self sufficiency, ensuring that country can meet the needs of its growing population.
However, the most significant challenge facing agriculture sector right now is climate change.
Erratic weather patterns are severely impacting crop yields.
Any strategy must therefore prioritise climate resilience.
Our agricultural productivity has been hampered by poor seed quality, inefficient water management and out-dated farming practices.
To combat these issues, government must incorporate climate-adaptive strategies into its agricultural roadmap.
International cooperation, especially with countries like China, could prove invaluable in building climate-resilient agriculture.
China’s expertise in climate-smart farming, drought-resistant crops and efficient irrigation systems can help us adapt to shifting weather patterns.
Such collaboration, alongside domes-tic efforts, can foster sustainable agricultural growth.
Additionally, protecting small farmers is critical.
Small farmers face significant barriers to modernisation due to limited access to tools, training and financing.
Practical steps are needed to ensure they can access the technology and resources necessary for success.
The lack of off-season storage facilities and value-added processing plants remains another challenge.
These infrastructure gaps lead to food wastage and lost economic opportunities.
Upgrading agricultural markets and enhancing the avail-ability of modern equipment will increase efficiency and reduce losses.
With careful planning and a clear focus on sustainability, we can transform agriculture sector into a driver of economic growth, food security and cli-mate resilience.
The time for action is now.
