Save the sector

Pakistan is an agricultural country. Agriculture is the backbone of the country’s economy. According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2016, agriculture contributed 20 percent of GDP that accounts for 42.3 percent of Pakistan’s employed labour force. Despite its importance, the agriculture sector is suffering from unpredictability in growth and its performance remained subdued. According to the 2014-15 economic survey, insufficient progress in technological innovation, limited progressive farming techniques, marketing and trade restrictions, low prices of crops and traditional processing methods are major reasons for low production. Around 40 percent of the total agricultural production was wasted in post-harvest due to insufficient utilisation of biotechnology. In this scenario, use of biotechnology seems to be the most fitting solution to revive this life-support sector.

In view of the above, there is a strong need to launch an initiative to digitalise agriculture and provide necessary information to farmers to increase production. It is heartening to note that a mobile company operating in Pakistan has taken the initiative in this regard. Since the services of this initiative is limited to certain regions which needs to be extended to whole of the country.

Khan Faraz

Peshawar