THE Rabi crops in the country’s rain-fed areas are likely to be affected by below normal rainfall forecast for the season. The Pakistan Meteorological Department in a January 10 forecast stated that rainfall is estimated to be 30 per cent less during January to March, 2014, than the long period average (1961 to 2010).

Wheat crops from barani areas and irrigated land make up10- 20 and 80-90 per cent of the total production, respectively.

Other crops grown in barani areas in winter are barley, gram, lentils, oilseed rape, canola mustard etc., while in summer pearl millet, jowar, maize, pulses, guar, groundnut, watermelon are grown. Barani agriculture is generally ignored by policy-makers while fixing development priorities.

Country’s three-fourth of the cultivated area is irrigated and one quarter rain-fed. Meanwhile, owing to long dry spell, crops are currently in bad shape. Only much-awaited precipitation will have a better effect on Rabi crops particularly wheat which has been sown over 8.537 million hectares as against the target of 8.943 million hectares.

The performance of crops largely depends on timely supply of water, either from canals or from the sky. During 2012-13, the rainfall water available for Rabi season was 12.4 per cent less.

A majority of the rural population in the country lives in areas which fall within the rain-fed farming system. These areas comprise 53 per cent of the country’s land and fall in southern parts of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and parts of Northern Areas.

Balochistan is the driest province where water shortage has reduced the potential of pursuing land-based livelihoods. As a result, livestock rearing and grazing has been the main pursuit in the countryside

Barani agriculture which relies on traditional means of water management can play an important role in reviving the rural economy if effectively supported by the government. But, so far it has received little attention of the relevant authorities who consider any development spending on barani agriculture a mere waste of money because of its low productive potential. The bureaucracy tends to focus only on the irrigated agriculture and its problems. Some of the problems the barani farming faces include soil erosion, desertification, substandard livestock and poor farm management.

However, a Barani Commission was constituted in 1970s to explore the possibility of development of rain-fed areas and it gave its report in 1976. The report laid emphasis on the need for producing trained manpower and on taking measures to improve agricultural practices to enhance crop yield. According to the report, small rivers during heavy rains in Potohar region take away huge sediments rendering large tracts of land unsuitable for cultivation every year. In high rainfall areas water erosion predominates, while in low rainfall areas wind erosion is the main impediment to sustainable agriculture. Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa suffers most from water erosion.

The land in rain-fed area is usually uneven, with varying degrees of slope. The local word Potohar means ‘undulating and uneven’. The fact remains that soil and water resources need to be conserved to ensure sustainability of barani agriculture.

While no less than 10-20 per cent of the country’s wheat production comes from the rain-fed agricultural areas. Besides, dry land areas sustain 80 per cent of livestock, contribute 23 per cent rapeseed and mustard, 53 per cent barley, 65 per cent gram, 69 per cent sorghum and 89 per cent groundnut. As such barani areas do offer hope of a sustainable agriculture.

In the past, some technologies were tried by the government agencies to boost barani farming. But few farmers adopted them. The reason was that they did not conform to the farmers’ real needs or were too costly. Under the given scenario, there is a need to ensure active participation of rural communities in the development of new farm technologies.