DR SAMI ULLAH
IN the current global sce- nario, all the indicators of prosperity and sustainability are meaning less in tackling the COVID-19. The quality of public services provision is exemplary in USA and Europe but they are unable to predict and tackle the human losses. It is expected that COVID-19 will badly impact the economy of developed countries through budget and trade deficit along with recovery packages for the financial assistance to vulnerable groups in the country. The major impact of this COVID-19 has been observed in developed economies, while only limited number of patients have been identified in developing economies. There are certain factors of this difference, but developing countries are still in the situation of betterment, in comparison with developed world. In coming years, the agenda of the developed world would be to tackle COVID-19 and plan to avoid such pandemics in the future by designing preventive strategy. In this situation, developing countries may attract foreign investment because they are now more safe and can easily manage any sort of crisis. Hoping COVID-19 becomes more inclusive by providing opportunities for the developing regions. On the other hand, there is a group of developing countries where nearly 900 million people go on bed hungry, 44% children are unhealthy, 884 million have no access to safe drinking water and 2.5 billion have no sanitation facilities available. The quality of life is worst in developing regions, in comparison, GDP per capita in US is above $60,000 and Pakistan has only $1500. InAustralia, 687 persons out of 1000 have their personal vehicle, this number is just 10 in Pakistan and 3 in Bangladesh. Expenditure on education, health and quality of life indicators are not the priority area of the state. The COVID-19 is not too much devastating in health aspects but hitting developing countries in financial and psychological perspective in majority. There is need to manage it on financial and psychological grounds, instead of only clinical directions. Our people are already fighting with many diseases and financial pressure would become more harmful. Interestingly, the COVID-19 is impacting on the developed world very badly because they have weak immune system.They have all the facilities at their doorsteps, inclusive working conditions, sensitive food, best quality of life along with awareness on mental empowerment. Another roleisthe pattern of food which includes plenty of drinking and smoking. All the indicators of best quality of life are not helping in the development of immune system in developed world. In comparison,the people of developing economies are living in a very vulnerable situation by facing load shedding, poor quality of life and food, tough working conditions in almost all the sectors of the economy. The people of developing countries are also facing environmental, financial and psychological pressure throughout their life span. Such sort of pressure is helpful in empowering the immune system of such regions and they can easily manage minor health issues. This might be the one major factor behind the intensity of loss in developing and developed countries generated by the country specific environmental factors. The current situation of COVID-19 is clearly depicting that the future trend of employment, output and business will be different. In coming years, the role of technology and services sector will be on the top but the developing world is still unable to compete with developed ones in such fields. Developing countries are just user of technology, not producer and such growth is exclusive in nature because it enhances inequality and income differences. In the current global scenario, developing economies like Pakistan have the best potential to invest in the farm and livestock sector for employment generation, economic development, rural prosperity, poverty alleviation and youth engagements. Pakistan has well developed agriculture network and can be the potential pillar for sustainability of the economy. It is very important to share that Pakistan lies in top producers of 12 different products of agriculture. The development of this sector can contribute to the wellbeing of 70% rural population, 68% industry is agrobased and also provide food for the whole country. As per the institutional structure of Pakistan, they preferred to support the needy and vulnerable groups in cash which is good in the time of crisis but didn’t sustain the families. For sustainability of the vulnerable families, proper employment generation strategy is need of the day and our agriculture sector has the potential to engage majority of the labour, even unskilled and uneducated labour. Pakistani farmers are capable of producing world best fruits, cereals and livestock. This sector is ever green and is the need for everyone in the situation of prosperity or recession. During the attack of COVID-19, all the developed countries have prioritized the food management system to stable feed for their community. In the preventive measures of COVID-19, we can easily manage social distancing during work and also enhance the immune system of the farmers. For the development of agriculture sector, huge amount of investment is not desired but state may help the farmers in tackling some imperfect market structure and small financial support. If state prioritize the development of agriculture sector, soon it will contribute to the sustainability of the rural areas, major source of employment generation, foreign exchange earnings and also alleviate poverty in the rural areas. As the income of rural farmer’s increase, it will further contribute to the investment in non-farm sector along with expenditures on education, health and quality of life. So, Pakistan can compete with the globe in agriculture sector and this further contribute to the development of rural areas and economic prosperity for inclusive development by benefitting everyone in the country. — The writer is Assistant Professor in Economics), University of Gujrat, Pakistan.
