Daily Times

Agriculture makes up 26% of the GDP, and more than half of the Pakistani Labour force relies on agriculture to sustain their lifestyle. This is a very crucial industry in Pakistan, and its state of affairs needs to be held to a high standard. With this in mind, we see the complete opposite: an inept state, a failed policy, and overall a failing economy. Looking from the standpoint of an average citizen, you can’t help to notice all these issues as a direct result of governmental mismanagement. Looking at the fine print, we see a systemic issue that has put one of the highest-value industries in Pakistan at risk of collapse. The current system is flawed in multiple areas, land is unequally distributed, along with disparities in irrigation systems and fertiliser shipments. Sustainable growth in this sector can solve many food insecurity crises in Pakistan as well. Many salient features of the governmental policies for farmers have been dealt a shorthand for this industry, creating a possible man-made recession via a risky and dangerous sector.

Previous acts signed into law by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Ayub Khan established a functioning system of land governance but led to corruption in the civil services and mismanagement of irrigation facilities.

Its flawed mechanism is the result of previous flawed policies that led to this. Before the Bonded Labour Abolition Act, many saw themselves working as a serf for rich landowners, increasing the wealth disparity which is one of the big factors of the credit availability crisis. Previous acts signed into law by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (1971) and Ayub Khan (1968) established a functioning system of land governance and division but led to corruption in the civil services, the mismanagement of irrigation facilities, and systemic discrimination of certain farms from receiving materials. These failures have dictated recent failures, with a new law establishing the need for mass cotton production. This came at the expense of sugar cane production and inadvertently led to Pakistan importing both Sugar and Cotton, which could be easily grown internally. It is highly recommended that provincial governments establish a new system for tenancy along with land distribution. It concludes that past laws have made up for the deficit in current laws.

An effective system of agricultural reformation needs to see the equitable distribution of land along with resources. Establishing this system would lead to higher tenancy rates along with greater agricultural output. It is expected that monetary institutions provide low-interest bank loans and equity to low-credit farmers, agriculture should always be a low-risk investment. Along with investments in farmers, investments in flood systems, insurance and a proper mechanism for sustainable food growth can solve the food crisis within Pakistan. Pakistan lost almost 15 per cent of its rice crop in the floods, and even though Islamabad sends out 150,000 Tonnes of Rice to Afghanistan a year, instead of focusing on others, a system of effective land management and sustainable agriculture, involving many crops can mend the food crisis within Pakistan.

Overall an active and fundamental shift remains to be seen. A state has a duty to its people and cannot backslide in providing each and every citizen with the right to own and cultivate the land. A right which is regularly denied. If Islamabad wants record growth in crops and an increase in GDP, they should be expected to make an effort to amend current laws to provide economic and agricultural leverage to farmers, without this Pakistan will be standing on one leg, ready for an economic free fall.

The writer is a freelance contributor who is currently studying at Atchison College, Lahore.