Proposal for Paradigm Shift in the Agriculture Development to Boost the Agriculture Economy of Pakistan – By: Asad Ullah Khan
God has bestowed many natural resources to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Due attension is required in the exploration to bring prosperety in the region. Excessive water resources, vast Agricultural Soil falls under different temperature zone. The lower part of Pakistan falls under hot temperate and upper region includes in the moderate zone, and high mountanic areas are included in the cold temperature regions. Crops grown in the world under these Ecosystem can easily be grown and replicated any where in Pakistan as well.
PRESENT AGRICULTURE POSITION:
Governmental and non Govvernmental organization has made great efforts in the introduction of high yielding variety fruit plants and Improved Seed of Major Crops in the area. Agriculture Deptt: still busy in the supply of improved seed and fertilizer to the growers on cash payment basis as well as imparting technical advise to growers, deem necessary to grow healthy crop yields up to the standred of the users and industrial needs. The high increasing rates of agriculture inputs is really an alarming situation faced by the growers. To keep the inputs, fertilizers rate affordable to farmers fertilizer may be provided to grower on subsidized rate. Pakistan agriculture economy is progressing day by day and is nearly achieving food self sufficiency on major crop Wheat, Rice, Sugarcane production etc. However food shortage crisis arose from time to time in the country is due to miss management and lack of supervision.
MARKETING:
The present agriculture market is dominated by the tectful exploiter where the middle man role is very strong. Harvest prices fixation mechanism of agriculture produce is not available that is why farmers sell out their produce to middle man on low prices, as a result farmers socio-economic conditions becomes weak and poor day by day. Such state of affairs discourage the growing of crops, that is why Pakistan still importing most of the essential food items to meet its local needs, is an alarming situation.
PROPOSAL:
In confrontation with the reccession period in the Pakistan economy I do suggest Planning Division Govt: of Pakistan to concentrate on the marketing side of Agriculture produce through fixation of harvest prices for the products produced. It is apparent that continues supply of improved seed will entail marketing needs to meterialize the excess produce.
The theme of my discussion is to focus on Agriculture sector reforms through a paradigm shift focusing agriculture Development pace on marketing side. It is worth mentionable that Agriculture land available in all four provinces may be deal with like an industry. Lush green Agriculture field irrespective to their location are units to feed the agriculture based industry and fulfills human food needs.
Initiation of the market lead production planing is definately a time consuming, laborious and needs sustainable follow up. To give success the proposed activity and to make it more economical and interesting Govt: of Pakistan has to focus opening of agriculture based industrial zone on Public Private Partnership (PPP) in different suitable places. Running agriculture through launching agriculture products value addition units in focal points will encourage the growers to link his excess produce with the processing unit directly avoiding himself from the middle man exploitation and earn considerable profit to contribute his household budget.
Bringing occuracy in the market lead production planning one can easily overcome his local food shortage of major crops like wheat, Rice, Pulses and Vegetables through targeted growing . To culture the growing of oil seed crops of different varieties like Sunflower, Soyabean, Rape and Mustard, Linseed, Canola and Maize crop in large scale will ensure the availability of raw product to feed the proposed cooking oil processing units on yearly basis. As such Pakistan will be able to full fill his edible oil needs locally . The growing of cotton crop to feed the local cottage industries to bring revolution in the cottage products is also another interesting subject to discuss.
To make the conceptual package of Tangible agriculture business through market lead production planning viable and operative in Agriculture Farm level, all concerned Govt: functionary has to play vital role to success it at gross root level.
For the purpose intrested growers Agriculture Farms can be marked out by a committee to bring under targeted crop produce area. TOP will be signed in between the two parties, will illustrate the responsibilities of both parties throughout the crops season. Farmers who offered their farm land for growing variety crops under the proposed program will be given agriculture inputs on concesional rate, Technical guidance and Pest attack measures will be the responsibility of the agriculture extension office serving in each district level.
Government deem fit will purchase the grown crops yields from the growers on cash payment basis and further market the produce to focal points through market linkage.
(OR)
Grower will be allowed to market their excess produce directly to the industrial area on the fixed Harvest Prices, through farmers joint venture under the guidance and coordination of the concerned Govt Departments serving in the agriculture sector. The proposed demand driven activity will encourage the grower to take interest with their farm land and will increase local production.
The successful implementation of the cost benefit Agriculture business in all the Provinces of Pakistan will lead agriculture economy in the right direction, will soon fulfills our local food needs. The proposed market lead production planning will push the agriculture economy upwards will improve trade deficit as direct benefit and will create gender oriented job apportnities in both Govt: organization and in the private sector as an indirect benefit.
To bring the theoretical idea of tangible Agriculture into practical demonstration in the long run I do offer my Services as member of Federal/Provincial Committee, if needed in future. Running of agriculture business under the participatory approach we will soon be able to export most of the food items and value added products including cooking oil under the lable made in Pakistan. I do believe we will achieve the boom period in the economic cycle very soon. (INSHA ALLAH)
The writer Asad ullah Khan is a Retired Government Servant of Agriculture Department Khyber Pahktunkhwa, and he belong to village Khouzh of Tehsil Mastuj District Upper Chitral