UNDENIABLY In past decades, Pakistan’s agricultural sector has played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s economy in terms of capital formation, employment and external trade. It has helped put the country on a growth trajectory beginning as early as the 1950s. The Green Revolution brought about Pakistan in the 1960s remained the hallmark of our economy. Today, Pakistan needs a new policy resurrection. Against this backdrop, the Government of Pakistan is launching Green Pakistan Initiative with a means to boost our national security compounded by our economic growth and sustainability. Unfortunately, the past policies are a reflection of the truth that the focus in policy debates shifted away from the agricultural sector, though today, Pakistan revives a modern agro-outlook.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the global demand for food is projected to increase by 60 percent by 2050. This alarming situation puts the countries, like Pakistan, under extreme risk where there is a declining trend of agricultural production. But, the potential of Pakistan’s soil is so massive that it can fairly contribute towards lowering the global food security concerns. Arguably, the developing countries, like Pakistan, will have to meet its demand of more animal-origin foods due to income growth in the future. The growth rate of world demand for cereals will decline till 2050. Global water demand is projected to increase by 55% between 2000 and 2050 from 3500 to 5425 km3.
With the rise in global population, agricultural land and food production are being impacted by climate change at an ever-increasing rate. This Agriculture in the 21st century faces multiple challenges: it has to produce more food and fibre to feed a growing population with a smaller rural labour force, more feed stocks for a potentially huge bio-energy market, contribute to overall development in the many agriculture-dependent developing countries, adopt more efficient and sustainable production methods and adapt to climate change
Agriculture generates employment opportunities for roughly 25 million in Pakistan and is the main income source for 34% and 74% of economically active men and women respectively in the country. Despite the main agriculture workforce, women are less likely to own income-generating assets and have inadequate access to education, latest technologies and farming techniques as well as agricultural extension. CSA interventions targeting women will have disproportionally large impacts on Pakistan’s agricultural sector.
So far, in order to boost Pakistan’s agricultural economy. Pakistan’s agriculture sector contributes only 22.9 percent to the GDP despite employing 37.4 percent in labour force. In order to transform the economic landscape this low-productivity needed an immediate reformation. Thus, some landmark steps have been taken recently— to revolutionize the production of Agriculture sector of Pakistan—via civil-military coordinative approach exercised under a collaborative effort.
Addressing the National Seminar on Agriculture and Food Security at Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad on Monday, the COAS, General Asim Munir showed his ardent resolve that Almighty Allah Pak has blessed Pakistan with many resources. He said we are a capable nation which has the potential to rise to the top. He emphasised the need that everybody should contribute to its development. The National Economic Council (NEC) approved a reviewed Public Sector Development Programme 2022-23 and national development budget for the fiscal 2023-24 with an outlay of Rs 2,709 billion.
Notably, under the development programme, the Centre would spend Rs 1,150 billion, including Rs 200, through the public-private partnership and Rs 950 billion of the PSDP. The total provincial development budget would be Rs 1,559 billion. This includes Rs 426 billion for Punjab and Rs 268 billion for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for a period of four months as both the provinces were awaiting general elections and being ruled by caretaker set-ups. Against these impending needs, the Government’s launched Green Pakistan Initiative will provide a great boost to our national security, thereby countering the emerging challenges of global food crisis via-a-vis — population growth, Most importantly, a green-energy-based energy policy could largely help Pakistan meeting its energy requirements while reducing its dependence on imports and hence reduce the cost of energy to the country. And yet, boosting export potential Pakistan could attract investment of $ 40 to 50 billion in the coming years and it could make food exports to the Gulf countries which were presently importing food products worth $ 40 billion, the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visualised. The Premier was of the view that Pakistan had to compete with the world and increase its exports and the economy of Pakistan would get revived in the coming two years. “It is demand of our national security that the country’s food security and economic security should be strengthened,” he added. Sequel to the inauguration of Land Information Management System — Centre of Excellence (LIMS — COE), Green Pakistan Initiative is being undertaken to enhance the food security of Pakistan, increase exports and reduce the agriculture-related imports, thereby, contributing towards national economy.
The Green Pakistan Initiative (Green Economy and Green Growth) is part and parcel of the Government’s launched new plan of economic recovery — important for Pakistan due to a series of emerging challenges: Pakistan is still at an early stage of industrialization and most of the existing machinery and equipment, including power plants, are due for replacement; Pakistan is blessed with abundant solar and wind resources which could be used for the development of alternative energy resources. Green Pakistan Initiative will act as the “Software of Economic Growth”, incorporating latest means and methods to introduce modern technology in agriculture — promoting an organic link between our agriculture and hydro-economics.
The Government is already engaged in boosting Pakistan green economy. In this regard, Pakistan-US Green Alliance price is underway, this innovative four-year project, costing $4.5 million, aims to help Pakistani farmers to enhance fertilizer use efficiency through innovative practices. As part of the US-Pakistan “Green Alliance” framework, the project prioritizes cooperation to overcome agricultural challenges caused by climate change. Similarly, China and Pakistan step up efforts to jointly explore a new path of silage, harvesting and processing in Pakistan, as the two sides agreed to promote the joint research and outcome commercialization of small and medium-sized silage harvesting equipment in mountainous and hilly areas of China and Pakistan.
—The writer, an independent ‘IR’ researcher-cum-international law analyst based in Pakistan, is member of European Consortium for Political Research Standing Group on IR, Critical Peace & Conflict Studies, also a member of Washington Foreign Law Society and European Society of International Law. He deals with the strategic and nuclear issues.
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