AGRICULTURISTS in Sindh believe the sector is facing multiple problems that are directly impacting the overall economic growth in the province. Both federal and provincial governments need to take measures to put things back on track.

“I think climate change has emerged as a major threat to the farm sector and we are losing much to extreme weather every year,” contends Sindh Abadgar Board Vice President Mahmood Nawaz Shah. “In 2020, we need to have a proper system in place to respond to these challenges.”

He believes that cotton production continues to face decline, mainly because of climate change. Unusual rains hurt crop production — primarily cotton, vegetables and maize — in Punjab and Sindh, he says, adding that the non-availability of seed is also affecting cotton production.

“We must have a well-defined mechanism to counter the threat of climatic change,” he says, and points out that the timely availability of information about weather, quality seed and other steps concerning institutional reforms can play a vital role in strengthening the agriculture sector.

Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Vice President Nabi Bux Sathio asserts that the federal government should ensure that even if the Sindh government doesn’t give its 70 per cent share in Prime Minister’s National Agriculture Emergency Programme, the centre still at least give its part of share for farm- and water-related projects identified in the programme.

Mr Sathio says the prime minister should talk to Saudi Arabia to get around 30pc of its total dairy products imports from Pakistan, as the kingdom currently looks towards Australia and other countries.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, January 6th, 2020