Pakistan Agriculture sector

Agriculture Sector in Pakistan – An Overview

➢ Vital sector of Pakistan's economy

➢ It contributes 22.7 percent of GDP
➢ Employment to around 37.4 percent labor force, and
contributes a large share of foreign exchange earnings.
➢ Main agricultural products are cotton, wheat, rice,
sugarcane, fruit and vegetables, in addition to milk,
beef, mutton, and poultry.
➢ Pakistan depends on one of the world's largest
irrigation systems to support production.
 Agriculture Sector

1. Crops (19.44)
2. Livestock/ Poultry (61.9)
3. Fisheries (1.39)
4. Forestry (2.14)
1. Crops
The important crops (wheat, rice, sugarcane, maize and cotton)
account for 19.44 percent to value addition in agriculture sector
and 4.41 percent to GDP. Other crops account for 13.86 percent in
value addition of agriculture sector and 3.14 percent in GDP.

Rice

Cotton Wheat

Major
Maize Crops Citrus

Mango Sugarcane
2. Livestock/ Poultry
• Livestock is contributing approximately 61.9 percent
of agriculture value added and 14.0 percent to the
national GDP during 2021-22.
• More than 8 million rural families are engaged in
livestock production and are deriving around 35- 40
percent of their income from this sector.
• Poultry sector is one of the most important
segments of livestock that provides employment to
more than 1.5 million people in the country. With
an investment of more than Rs 750 billion, this
industry is growing at an impressive growth rate of
approximately 7.5 percent per annum over the last
decade that has enabled Pakistan to occupy 11th
position among the largest poultry producer of the
world and has ample space for further
improvement.
3. Fisheries
• Fisheries is a sub-sector of agriculture and plays
an important role in the national economy. It
also contributes towards food security of the
country as it reduces the existing pressure on
demand for mutton, beef and poultry.
• The fishery is considered to be a source of
livelihood for the coastal inhabitants and a
source of export earnings.
• The fishing sector having share of 1.39 percent
in agriculture value addition and 0.32 percent in
GDP, although very little but it adds
substantially to the national income through
export earnings.
4. Forestry
• Forestry sector having share of 2.14 percent in
agriculture value addition and 0.49 percent in GDP.
• The inadequate forest cover area due to growing
population and dependence on the natural
resources coupled with deforestation have
rendered the country one of the most vulnerable to
climate change effects. As a result, natural
resources are under tremendous pressure owing to
change of land use and habitat destruction and
consumption of fuel wood and timber extraction.
Such pressures have rendered most of the forests
of poor and medium density in need of drastic
restocking on war footing.
Agriculture Sector in Pakistan - Endowments

Pakistan’s Agriculture is

6th 5th 5th

12th
Largest
4th
Largest Largest Largest Largest 4th
Largest
Producer Producer Producer Producer Producer
Producer sugar can
of Kinnow of mango of Dates of Cotton of Milk
Addition in percent in GDP
1. Crops 4.41
2. Livestock/ Poultry 14.0
3. Fisheries 0.32
4. Forestry 0.49
Problems of Agriculture Sector in Pakistan
Though the agricultural sector is facing problems in Pakistan yet the major chunk
of money comes from this sector. Following are the major causes of agricultural
problems in Pakistan which disturb the agricultural growth or development in
Pakistan.
Agriculture is the important sector of Pakistan’s economy. It importance has
reduced due to following reasons:
1. Under Utilization of Land
2. Under Utilization of Manpower
3. Uneconomic Holdings
4. Water-logging and Salinity
5. Lack of Water Supply
6. Low per Acre Yield
7. Insufficient Use of Inputs
8. Poor Rural Infrastructure
9. Insufficient Agricultural Research
10. Lack of Extension Service
11. Defective Land Tenure System
12. Insufficient Facilities
Under Utilization of Land
• The resources in the agricultural sector are not
properly utilized. There is a huge wastage of land
which is evident from the fact that out of about 90
million acres of cultivable land, only 44 million
acres have so for been brought under plough. This
wastage comes to 60 % of the area . Further, the
land is divided into many small units. The area is
used to provide passage (due to small land
holding) in form of strips summed up runs into
hundred of acres that are wasted.
 Under Utilization of Manpower
• The total labor force in the rural sector is about 16
million out of which only 15% are paid workers while
the rest are self employed. The employment picture in
the agriculture is complicated. This had resulted due to
abundance of self employed and unpaid family workers
and the seasonal nature of work in agriculture.
Disguised unemployment is difficult to estimate.
However, an estimate put it at about two million
workers, which is a severe wastage.
Uneconomic Holdings

• The term uneconomic holding refer to the cultivating

units which are small in size and the cultivation
processes can not be properly and effectively
applied to them. As a result there input-output
ration is low compare to bigger farms. According to
agriculture census 1980, there are 4.7 million
formers and almost half of them own only three
acres or less of land. The main cause of this is Islamic
law of inheritance and lack of alternative
occupations.
Water-logging and Salinity

• Due to leakage of water from the canals, the water

table has come closer to the surface of the soil and
the plants are unable to get air and grow. This is
called water logging. When this water evaporates the
salts contained in the water spread on the surface.
This makes the surface hot and destroys the plants.
This is known as salinity. These problems are found in
the irrigated areas Punjab and Sind. According to an
estimate above 15 lakh acres have been made unfit
for cultivation due to water logging and salinity.
Lack of Water Supply

• The agriculture out put depends upon the

water supply at different stages of cultivation. If
the water supply is not sufficient, the crop is
damaged and the yield is reduced. In Pakistan,
the agricultural output depends on irrigation
facility, which is defective in the sense that the
supply of water is either delayed or is less than
the requirement.
 Low per Acre Yield

• This is a problem to be solved as well as the

result of various problems. Per acre yield in
Pakistan is among the lowest in the world. It is
about one third of what is produced in other
countries. For examples, in case of rice , Japan
and Egypt production is more than three times
in Pakistan. Similar is the case of sugarcane,
cotton and wheat.
Insufficient Use of Inputs

• To increase agricultural output, it is essential to

expand the use of agricultural inputs which
includes chemical fertilizers, improve seeds,
plant protection and mechanization. At present,
seeds are used by formers are generally
defective and of inferior quality. Similarly, lack of
use of fertilizers like urea and pesticides result in
less production.
Poor Rural Infrastructure
• Poor rural infrastructure is another basic
problem of agriculture in Pakistan. Due
to lack of transport and communication
facilities, the rural population has
restricted mobility. There is less flow of
credit in rural areas due to lack of credit
institutions. There are no organized
marketing facilities so the poor farmers
are exploited by the traders.
Insufficient Agricultural Research
Research and education is a continuing
requirement for the agricultural development
not only in developing better seeds, improving
cultivation methods and better use of other
inputs, but also for finding out there best
combination for our conditions. Unfortunately,
it has not received due attention and suffers
from financial and personal constraints.
Lack of Extension Service
• Lack of extension services in Pakistan, the
agricultural extension service has not been
active. An agricultural extension service aims at
providing the formers with systemic excess to
knowledge about farming practices, multiple
cropping and use of physical in puts and
ensuring that the knowledge provided is
appropriate to the farming being practice. In
Pakistan, the coverage of extension services is
extremely limited. Mainly due to poor service
conditions and the insufficient provision of
extension aids.
Defective Land Tenure System
• The phrase “Land tenure system” signifies the rights
and obligations associated with the arrangement of
ownership and the use of land. It is obvious that a
number of problems can arise in a system
dominated by land owners. It results in absolute
landlordism in which the landlord obtains a
substantial share of the produce of the land without
making any effort. The land is cultivated by tenants
who suffer not only from social subordination but
also from different types of exploitation. All this
leads to low production.
Insufficient Facilities

• In Pakistan rural credit supplied both through

institutional and non-institutional sources.
Institutional sources include ADBP, commercial
banks, and cooperative institutions. Non
institutional sources are the private money
lenders like commission agents, village traders,
and landlords and well-to-do farmers. “ Friends
and relatives” is also an informal source of
credit. These sources are generally regarded as
exploitative and undesirable. Any attempts to
drive them out by lowering the interest rates
have not been successful.
Solutions to Problems
1. Increase in Irrigation Facilities
2. Farm Mechanization
3. Agricultural Research
4. Reclamation Program
5. Agricultural Price Policy
6. Land Reforms
7. Credit Policy
8. Cooperative Movement
Farm Mechanization

• There is unanimity of opinion that farm mechanization

increases agricultural productivity and income of the
farmers. Spray machines are applied to spray the
standing crops. The threshers and harvesters replace
the manual harvesting. Tractors, bulldozers and
attached implements are being increasingly use. In
Pakistan, there are at present five tractor
manufacturing plants producing its various parts. Until
1990, the total numbers of tractors use were about
three lakh. ADPB is providing loans to farmer for the
purchase of tractors and installation of tube-wells in
the different areas of the country.
Agricultural Research

• In order to rise the potential of agricultural

production, there should continuous
improvement in the research for agricultural
growth. The specific areas of research includes the
development of high yielding, short duration ,
disease and drought resistant varieties of major
food and cash crops of Pakistan according to the
situation prevailing in different areas of the
country.
Reclamation Program

• Vigorous efforts should be made to protect and

reclaim the areas effected by water logging,
salinity and soil erosion in the country. The
government of Pakistan started salinity control
and reclamation project (SCARP) in 1959. Under
this scheme, about 12,500 tube-wells were
installed and other derange schemes were
introduced the result is about 3 million acres
have been reclaimed.
Agricultural Price Policy
• An agricultural price policy refers to the
government’s role in defining or inducing
the prices of agricultural outputs and
inputs. The price mechanism can, if used
carefully and systematically, prove to be an
effective supplement efforts towards the
revival of agriculture and increase
agricultural productivity. The policy
regarding out put is also called price
support policy.
Land Reforms
• Land reforms refers to the concept of redistribution
of land ownership in excess of certain ceiling.
Pakistan inherited of feudalistic land tenure system.
At the time of partition 7% of the land owners
owned 53% of the total land. These big landlords had
little incentive to cultivate all the land or to rise the
productivity of their lands. Thus in 1959, individual
ownership was restricted to 500 acres of irrigated
and 1000 acres of irrigated land. In 1972, this was
further reduced to 150 irrigated and 300 irrigated
acres. The resume land was distributed among the
landless farmers.
Credit Policy
• Agriculture is a backward and a poor sector.
The farmers need loans to purchase various
types of inputs like seeds, fertilizers,
pesticides, tractor, tube-wells, etc. The
Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan
(ADBP) was established in 1961.The ADBP is
the largest source of credit to agriculture
sector of Pakistan. The bank provides short,
medium and long term loans for farm and off
farm activities. The bank has five following
windows of investment:
Cont.

a. Development loans
b. Production loans
c. Agri-Business loans
d. Cottage industry loans
e. Off farm income generating activities loans
The ADBP advance loans based on land, mortgage, or
on personal security. Till 1996, the ADBP has provided
credit for about Rs. 100 billion to 4million farmers.
Most of it was given for purchase of tractors and tube-
wells.
Cooperative Movement

• Cooperative farming is a voluntary organization in

which the farmers poll their resources in order to
carry out various agriculture operations by helping
each other for the protection of their common
interest. The farmers may be motivated to farms
cooperative societies for production of crops,
purchase of inputs and for sale of out put.
Cooperative farming, if adopted, can solve the
problems of disintegration of holding, mechanization,
and middlemen.
****
Conclusion :

• The government is making all efforts to make

Agriculture Sector more vibrant.
• This sector have initiated a number of
initiatives and also focusing on Agro-base
industries and strengthening linkages with the
agricultural research and development to play
a role in transfer of technology and knowledge
to the farming community.
History of Agriculture in Pakistan
• Agriculture and irrigation system was developed in the
Indus Valley Civilization (Mohenjo-daro) by around 4500
BCE.
• The size and prosperity of the Indus civilization grew as a
result of this innovation, which eventually led to more
planned settlements making use of drainage and sewers.
• Sophisticated irrigation and water storage systems were
developed by the Indus Valley Civilization, including
artificial reservoirs at Girnar dated to 3000 BCE, and an
early canal irrigation system from circa 2600 BCE.
• Archeological evidence of an animal-drawn plough dates
back to 2500 BC in the Indus Valley Civilization.
• All agricultural affairs and activities in Pakistan are
overseen and regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Agricultural Reforms in Pakistan

• First Agricultural Reforms in Pakistan were

introduced by General Ayub Khan in Jan 24, 1959.
According to these reforms an individual was not
allowed to own 500 irrigated and 1000 of non-
irrigated land in Pakistan.
• The remaining lands were given freely to the
landless farmers. It was also narrated that no
surcharge or extra money will be taken from any
landless person in return for the transfer of land.
Cont.

• The total geographical area of Pakistan is 79.6 million

hectares. About 27 percent of the area is currently
under cultivation. Of this area, 80 percent is
irrigated. In this regard, Pakistan has one of the
highest proportions of irrigated cropped area in the
world.
• The cultivable waste lands offering good possibilities
of crop production amount to 8.9 million hectares.
Growth in cropped area is very impressive: from 11.6
million hectares in 1947 to 22.6 million hectares in
1997.
Land use, farming systems and institutions
• Most of Pakistan is classified as arid to semi-arid
because rainfall is not sufficient to grow
agricultural crops, forest and fruit plants and
pastures. About 68 percent of the geographical
area has annual rainfall of 250 mm, whereas
about 24 percent has annual rainfall of 251 to 500
mm.
• Only 8 percent of the geographical area has
annual rainfall exceeding 500 mm. Thus
supplemental water is required for profitable
agricultural production, either from irrigation or
through water harvesting.
 agricultural development in South Asia roughly dates
from 9500 to 7500 BP, agriculture was being established
in parts of Pakistan, in the northwestern most part of the
HISTORICAL subcontinent. At the ancient site of Mehrgarh with the
BACKGROUD earliest evidence of barley and wheat was found.
OF The oldest civilizations in the south Asia:
AGRICULTURE mehrgarh(7000bc) and Mohenjo-Daro(6000-5000bc).
❖Agriculture during the Mughal empire( Muslim
rule):
• All lands belonged to kings: no private ownership
• Indian agricultural production increased under the
Mughal Empire.
• The Mughal administration emphasized agrarian
reform, which began under the non-Mughal
emperor Sher Shah Suri, the work of which
Akbar adopted and furthered with more reforms.
• The Mughal government funded the building
of irrigation systems across the empire which
increased agricultural production.
• Mughals established a strong system of revenue collection under Akbar
1570s.
• Three mechanisms were established
i. Jagidars
ii. Zamindar
iii. Khalisa lands
• In 1647: 8000 mansabdars(nobles) collected revenues from the assigned jahirs
and gave to the emperors; emergence of the concept of jagirdars.
• Zamindars were responsible for collecting revenues on behalf of the kings(
mostly were the influential people of the village)
• Khalisa lands, from which the land revenues were directly given to state.
• 1707: death of Aurangzeb, Mughal empire weakened and jagirdars and
zamindars gained power; emergence of feudalism.
 • Three constitutional changes were introduced
by britishers:
IMPACT OF • First, the institution of private property
BRITISH • Second, a legal system established closely to
COLONIALISM the ownership of property
• And thirdly, an efficient government was
established
• These changes eliminated the petty
sovereignties of chieftains and zamindars who
ruled land;.
• This legal concept of property was major step
towards the bourgeois landed property,
capitalist society.
LAND TENURE SYSTEM

• 1. Zamindars
• 2. Ryotwari System
• 3. Mahalawari System
Norman Ernest Borlaug
Father of the Green Revolution
• The expression "the green revolution" is permanently linked
to Norman Borlaug's name. He obtained a PhD in plant
protection at the age of 27 and worked in Mexico in the
1940s and 1950s to make the country self-sufficient in grain.
Borlaug recommended improved methods of cultivation and
developed a robust strain of wheat that was adapted to
Mexican conditions. By 1956 the country had become self-
sufficient in wheat.
• Success in Mexico made Borlaug a much sought-after
adviser to countries whose food production was not keeping
pace with their population growth. In the mid-1960s, he
introduced dwarf wheat into India and Pakistan, and
production increased enormously. The expression "the
green revolution" made Borlaug's name known beyond
scientific circles, but he always emphasized that he himself
was only part of a team.
Green Revolution