Pakistan recently observed the World Food Day. But a UN report presents a grim picture of its agriculture sector ranking it 16th in a list of 48 worst affected countries from food shortage. Despite a key sector, agriculture output graph declined in the last three years, which adds woes to country’s weak economy.
A country with 70 percent of population depending on farming and with world’s largest irrigation system, is facing such a disaster is very hard to believe. Although the government blames it on floods and disturbances in the KP region, but people believe that several other factors are working behind this disaster. Raising prices of fuel and fertilizer, worse energy crises, lack of water and lack of interest on the part of government are the main causes. Due to political uncertainty too the government has not been able to construct new dams and face challenges of recurring floods. Now the government is planning to import sugar and other commodities from other countries which is very unfortunate. Worse performance in the farming sector is also affecting our exports and country industrial sector. Prices of raw material are becoming high and due to this the industries find it hard to compete with other countries. The government is also not able to face realities and prepare policies according to situation. — Khawja Umer Farooq, Jeddah
Grim situation
Grim situation
