Developing Sustainable Agriculture in Pakistan
Developing Sustainable Agriculture in Pakistan

Author: Iqrar Ahmad Khan

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2018-04-17

Total Pages: 1119

ISBN-13: 1351208217

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Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the economy and development of Pakistan providing food to consumers, raw materials to industries, and a market for industrial goods. Unfortunately, agricultural production is stagnant due to several barriers including a fixed cropping pattern, reliance on a few major crops, a narrow genetic pool, poor seed quality, and a changing climate. In addition, the high cost of production, weak phytosanitary compliance mechanisms, and a lack of cold chain facilities makes Pakistan agriculturally uncompetitive in export markets. Despite all these issues, agriculture is the primary industry in Pakistan and small farmers continue to dominate the business. Small farmers grow crops for subsistence under a fixed cropping pattern and a holistic approach is required to develop agriculture to improve the livelihoods of the rural populace. This book presents an exhaustive look at agriculture in Pakistan. Chapters provide critical analyses of present trends, inadequacies in agriculture, strategic planning, improvement programs and policies while keeping in view the natural resources, plant- and animal-related agricultural production technologies, input supplies, population planning, migration and poverty, and balanced policies on finance, credit, marketing, and trade.

Agriculture and the rural economy in Pakistan: Issues, outlooks, and policy priorities: Synopsis
Agriculture and the rural economy in Pakistan: Issues, outlooks, and policy priorities: Synopsis

Author: Spielman, David J.

Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst

Published: 2017-01-10

Total Pages: 4

ISBN-13:

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While policy makers, media, and the international community focus their attention on Pakistan’s ongoing security challenges, the potential of the rural economy, and particularly the agricultural sector, to improve Pakistanis’ well-being is being neglected. Agriculture is crucial to Pakistan’s economy. Almost half of the country’s labor force works in the agricultural sector, which produces food and inputs for industry (such as cotton for textiles) and accounts for over a third of Pakistan’s total export earnings. Equally important are nonfarm economic activities in rural areas, such as retail sales in small village shops, transportation services, and education and health services in local schools and clinics. Rural nonfarm activities account for between 40 and 57 percent of total rural household income. Their large share of income means that the agricultural sector and the rural nonfarm economy have vital roles to play in promoting growth and reducing poverty in Pakistan.

The Indus Basin of Pakistan
The Indus Basin of Pakistan

Author: Winston H. Yu

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13: 0821398741

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This study, Indus basin of Pakistan: the impacts of climate risks on water and agriculture was undertaken at a pivotal time in the region. The weak summer monsoon in 2009 created drought conditions throughout the country. This followed an already tenuous situation for many rural households faced with high fuel and fertilizer costs and the impacts of rising global food prices. Then catastrophic monsoon flooding in 2010 affected over 20 million people, devastating their housing, infrastructure, and crops. Damages from this single flood event were estimated at US dollar 10 billion, half of which were losses in the agriculture sector. Notwithstanding the debate as to whether these observed extremes are evidence of climate change, an investigation is needed regarding the extent to which the country is resilient to these shocks. It is thus timely, if not critical, to focus on climate risks for water, agriculture, and food security in the Indus basin of Pakistan.

Agriculture and the Rural Economy in Pakistan
Agriculture and the Rural Economy in Pakistan

Author: David J. Spielman

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Published: 2017-01-23

Total Pages: 554

ISBN-13: 0812294211

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Historically, agriculture has been crucial to Pakistan's economic growth and development and remains so even today. The sector employs almost half of the country's labor force, supplies key inputs to the country's manufacturing sector, generates a significant share of export earnings, and nourishes a rapidly growing population. Further, beyond agriculture is the wider rural economy, including nonfarm economic activities such as small enterprises, transport services, village retail shops, local schools, and clinics, all of which account for an estimated 40 to 57 percent of total rural household income. Given the importance of these rural activities, the slow growth of agriculture in recent years—averaging just 2.8 percent during the period 2010-2014—should be a source of concern for Pakistan. Can the country's agricultural sector and rural economy once again play a significant role in growth and development? Can it contribute to poverty reduction? Agriculture and the Rural Economy in Pakistan: Issues, Outlooks, and Policy Priorities seeks to answer these questions by examining the performance of both agriculture and the rural economy. The authors identify several measures that can promote agricultural productivity growth as well as wider economic and social development. These include increasing the efficiency of water use in the Indus river basin irrigation system, especially in the face of climate change; reforming policies and regulations that govern markets for agricultural inputs and commodities; and improving the provision of rural public services for health, education, women's empowerment, and community development. The analyses and conclusions in Agriculture and the Rural Economy in Pakistan will be of use to policy makers, development specialists, and others concerned with Pakistan's development. Contributors: Madiha Afzal, Nuzhat Ahmad, Faryal Ahmed, Mubarik Ali, Shujat Ali, Elena Briones Alonso, Hira Channa, Stephen Davies, Paul Dorosh, Gisselle Gajate Garrido, Arthur Gueneau, Madeeha Hameed, Brian Holtemeyer, Huma Khan, Katrina Kosec, Mehrab Malek, Sohail J. Malik, Shuaib Malik, Amina Mehmood, Dawit Mekonnen, Hina Nazli, Sara Rafi, Muhammad Ahsan Rana, Abdul Wajid Rana, Danielle Resnick, Khalid Riaz, Abdul Salam, Emily Schmidt, Asma Shahzad, David J. Spielman, James Thurlow, Ahmad Waqas, Edward Whitney, Fatima Zaidi.

Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook
Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook

Author: World Bank

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2008-10-07

Total Pages: 792

ISBN-13: 0821375881

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The 'Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook' provides an up-to-date understanding of gender issues and a rich compilation of compelling evidence of good practices and lessons learned to guide practitioners in integrating gender dimensions into agricultural projects and programs. It is serves as a tool for: guidance; showcasing key principles in integrating gender into projects; stimulating the imagination of practitioners to apply lessons learned, experiences, and innovations to the design of future support and investment in the agriculture sector. The Sourcebook draws on a wide range of experience from World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and other donor agencies, governments, institutions, and groups active in agricultural development. The Sourcebook looks at: access to and control of assets; access to markets, information and organization; and capacity to manage risk and vulnerability through a gender lens. There are 16 modules covering themes of cross-cutting importance for agriculture with strong gender dimensions (Policy, Public Administration and Governance; Agricultural Innovation and Education; Food Security; Markets; Rural Finance; Rural Infrastructure; Water; Land; Labor; Natural Resource Management; and Disaster and Post-Conflict Management) and specific subsectors in agriculture (Crops, Livestock, Forestry, and Fisheries). A separate module on Monitoring and Evaluation is included, responding to the need to track implementation and development impact. Each module contains three different sub-units: (1) A Module Overview gives a broad introduction to the topic and provides a summary of major development issues in the sector and rationale of looking at gender dimension; (2) Thematic Notes provide a brief and technically sound guide in gender integration in selected themes with lessons learned, guidelines, checklists, organizing principles, key questions, and key performance indicators; and (3) Innovative Activity Profiles describe the design and innovative features of recent and exciting projects and activities that have been implemented or are ongoing.

Privatization and the Crisis of Agricultural Extension: The Case of Pakistan
Privatization and the Crisis of Agricultural Extension: The Case of Pakistan

Author: Ahmed Munir

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-11-01

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13: 1351759205

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This title was first published in 2003. he public sector plays a dominant international role in the provision of agricultural extension and services. This role has been the subject of much debate. Some argue for extension's privatization, claiming that a market driven system provides the most rational and efficient means of information delivery. Based on extensive empirical research from the Punjab (Pakistan), this volume examines the comparative effectiveness of public and private extension services from the perspective of farmers. It also focuses on information from extension agents about their respective organizations and work environments. In so doing, the book expands and elaborates on the practical considerations of privatization and information delivery. It then broadens out into a discussion of alternative means of extension delivery, focusing on participatory approaches, education theory and pluralism.

National agricultural innovation system assessment in Pakistan
National agricultural innovation system assessment in Pakistan

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org. [Author] [Author]

Published: 2024-05-10

Total Pages: 71

ISBN-13: 9251385955

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An assessment of seven innovation case studies in Pakistan in 2022 found that agriculture innovation systems show limited collaboration and networking, and a supply-driven rather than market driven approach to innovation. [Author] This limits the potential for scaling innovations such as the ‘Super Seeder’, a machine that sows wheat directly in the rice stubble, replacing the common practice of burning it. [Author] The study was conducted in September and October 2022 as part of the global TAP-AIS project coordinated by FAO’s Office of Innovation and funded by the European Union’s DeSIRA initiative. [Author] The seven innovation case studies were nominated by key organizations under three thematic area: digital transformation, product innovation and service innovation. [Author] A desk review, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and a self-assessment questionnaire was used to collect data. [Author] Major gaps identified included, among others: i) Innovation actors have limited organizational support and ability to initiate collaboration and engage in networking with other actors for the purposes of market formation and scaling innovation; ii) Collaboration was not pursued for all stages of innovation, that is, from innovation development to innovation scaling; and iii) A supply-driven approach tends to be used for innovation development and scaling, rather than a market-driven approach. [Author] The results of the assessment informed the next phase of the TAP-AIS project in Pakistan in 2023–2024, which includes organizational capacity development and a policy dialogue process to strengthen innovation systems for low-cost agricultural machinery for smallholders. [Author] The work contributes to the TAP-AIS project’s main objective to strengthen capacities to innovate in national agriculture innovation systems (AIS) in the context of climate-relevant, productive, and sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems. [Author]