PMS 2017 Solved Pakistan Affairs Past Papers | The Agricultural Problems of Pakistan
The following question of PMS Pakistan Affairs 2017 is solved by Miss Iqra Ali, the best Pakistan Affairs Coach, on the guided pattern of Sir Syed Kazim Ali, which he taught to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. This solved past paper question is uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Significance of agriculture for Pakistan
3-Current Scenario of Agriculture Sector in Pakistan
4-Agricultural Problems of Pakistan
- ✓ Serious effects of climate change on agricultural sector
- ✓ Dearth of Irrigation facilities and water management
- ✓ Lack of proper finance
- ✓ Underwhelming Yields
- ✓ Traditional Production Methods
- ✓ Inadequate Infrastructure
- ✓ Lack of Research institutions
5-Steps have been taken by the government to overcome the agricultural issues
- ✓ Climate resilience strategies
- ✓ Reforms in Irrigation System and water management
- ✓ Budgetary and credit support
- ✓ Provision of high quality input
- ✓ Transformation to modern agricultural methods
- ✓ Development of agriculture industry
- ✓ Establishment of various research and development
6-Critical Analysis
7-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
Undoubtedly, the Agriculture sector is the backbone of Pakistan’s social and economic growth, providing sustenance to more than 67 per cent of the nation’s population. Originally, despite cultivation of crops, agriculture also includes livestock rearing, forestry, and fishery. Whereas, 11% of the nation’s agriculture is made up of animals; however, crops, fruits, and vegetables, etc., contribute to only 8% of the sector. Significantly, the agriculture industry contributes to 18.9% of the nation’s GDP growth. However, the agriculture sector faces grave issues such as adverse impacts of climate change, dearth of irrigation facilities, low productivity and outcomes, and inadequate infrastructure due to irregular climate change, lack of reforms and policy, and heedlessness of the government. To combat such issues, the nation has undertaken possible initiatives, such as climate change resilience strategies, water-management reforms, and financial support, helping out the country save the agricultural sector from drowning only. In summary, although the initiatives have proven to be effective, the sector still needs improvement to meet the future needs of the country.
Significance of agriculture sector for Pakistan
Significantly, the agriculture sector of Pakistan plays a central role in running the economy of Pakistan, maintaining food security, and fulfilling major basic needs of the nation, including employment, healthcare and growth of society. Initially, agriculture is responsible for 18.9% in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and provides employment to about 42 to 48% of the labor force, contributing profoundly to social and economic development. Additionally, the more the population grows, the more the need for agricultural output raises, therefore, agricultural enhancement is crucial for feeding the future. Besides, it also plays a significant role in industrial growth and rural prosperity as it provides raw materials to industries, and serves 62% of the rural population. To conclude, agriculture is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic and social growth.
Current Scenario of Agriculture Sector in Pakistan
Currently, the agriculture sector of Pakistan is described by both its positive and negative phases, including achievements and challenges. Positively, owing to specific measures undertaken by the government, according to the above, there has been observed pivotal growth to 6.25% in fiscal year 2023-2024 as compared to previous years. Similarly, it has also increased its share in GDP from 23.2 % to 24%, and it has raised employment opportunities to millions, contributing to 37.4% of the country’s workforce. However, in its negative aspects, the agricultural sector still faces challenges to provide food security to the burgeoning population, fulfill irrigation needs due to water scarcity, and overcome the adverse impacts of climate change. Overall, in spite of the crucial achievements, the country still needs significant improvements in its agricultural system.
Agricultural Problems of Pakistan
Nevertheless, due to irregular climate change, constant population growth, and a decrease in farming productivity, the state has witnessed vital challenges to grow its agricultural sector. However, the obstacles are mentioned below.
- Serious effects of climate change on the agricultural sector
Indeed, humanity does the efforts, but Allah decides the result. Therefore, Agricultural lands of Pakistan are unfortunately grappled by the constant effects of climate change, including floods, heavy rains, unfavorable weather, and shifting pests and diseases patterns. As a result, agricultural outcomes have been decreased by twenty percent; as well, dairy production is also reduced due to the health of livestock affected by hot weather. According to Economic Survey of Pakistan, 2021-22, In July-August 2022, Pakistan faced unprecedented rainfall and riverine floods damaging cultivated crops, livestock and the infrastructure. Approximately 4.4 million acres of crops were damaged, and nearly 1 million animals perished. The total cost of damages and losses was estimated at $30.13 billion, with agriculture accounting for $12.9 billion (43 percent of the total). Therefore, natural disasters as a result of climate change effects are major causes behind poor agricultural outcomes.
- Dearth of Irrigation facilities
Unfortunately, lack of irrigation facilities has added fuel to the fire. As compared to 80 per cent irrigated lands of India, Pakistan has well irrigated land for about 28 per cent only, aggravating the situation of the agricultural sector. Consequently, the nation is short of a technology-based irrigation system and higher water supplies. Besides, 90% of Pakistan’s food production is watered by the Indus River basin, controlled by India, leading to a 32% gap in water requirements and a seventy million food shortage. Therefore, an inefficient irrigation system has given a serious threat to the agriculture industry of the country.
- Lack of proper finance
Besides, providing low budgets and demanding high outcomes from the agriculture sector have punctured the running wheels of the agricultural system. Also, underprivileged farmers have access to only a small chunk of institutional finance which hampers their productivity. According to Pakistan Human Development, about 50.8 per cent of farmers borrow money from landlords at a very high rate of interest. Apart from that, Pakistan’s agriculture sector has been allocated low amount of money for farming equipment, creating more concern. To conclude, the low budgetary and low credit allocation are one of the major factors behind poor agricultural outcomes.
- Underwhelming Yields
Furthermore, the outdated and traditional farming and old harvesting techniques have worsened the quality of yields, leading to a low-quality outcome. Comparatively, Pakistan has one-fourth of the average crop as compared to the advanced nations, which have increased their output by modern techniques. Poor harvesting and post-harvesting work has led to poor quality, low quantity, and large income losses, ranging from 12 to 40 per cent according to the agriculture departments.
- Traditional Production Methods
Accordingly, major part of the country’s agricultural lands are harvested in conventional and traditional methods, using tractors and cultivators as mechanization. As a result, the lack of creative technology use has ruined the farming lands, damaging productions and outputs. Besides, illiteracy and unawareness of farmers have graven the issue since they are unaware of proper crop-rotation and scientific functions. Therefore, the traditional production method, and use of outdated mechanization has lowered the productivity level.
- Inadequate Infrastructure
Furthermore, inadequate infrastructure has also paralyzed the running wheel of the agricultural sector. Relatively, Pakistan lacks adequate water infrastructure, marketing infrastructure, and rural basic structures like roads, storage, transport, electricity, education, sanitation, and health facilities, leading to the slow and ineffective process of farming and harvesting. To conclude, proper infrastructure is the prior and most essential requisition of the agriculture sector.
- Lack of Research institutions
Finally, the situation of research and agricultural institutions is as few as there exist only 16 institutions related to agriculture nationwide. Notably, there are limited research facilities related to the education of developing new crop varieties, and improving farming techniques. As a result, the jeopardy leads to lower yields and inefficiencies in production.
Steps to overcome the agricultural issues
To move its agricultural sector towards betterment, the nation has undertaken the following initiatives, increasing the outcomes to some extent.
- Climate resilience strategies
Initially, to protect the sector from devastating and adverse effects of climate change, the nation has undertaken various policies to be completed by 2030. Among them, the highly significant policies _ short term and long term- include National Climate Change Policy; methods for developing drought-resistance crop varieties, National Food Security Policy; enhancing productivity of crops by providing soil and water conservation technologies, and fostering high efficiency irrigation system, and; Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programed, aiming to biodiversity restoration and climate change resilience by fostering ecosystem services. Therefore, enhancing the productivity of agricultural products, and improving ecosystem services, can help in making the agriculture sector meet the challenges caused by climate change.
- Reforms in Irrigation System
Moreover, to overcome the poor irrigation system, Pakistan has brought significant reforms in the irrigation system. To elaborate, reforms include construction of dams and water reservoirs, development of water management regulators, and betterment of water supply systems, leading up to effective and efficient irrigation networks; also, making the agricultural sector independent from the Indus River basin. Hence, long-term water management initiatives, particularly the manufacturing of dams, would significantly assist the nation enhance its productivity for once and for all.
- Budgetary and credit support
Also, to meet the financial needs of the agricultural sector, the government has provided subsidies and incentives. For example, provision of interest-free loans to farmers, subsidies in the costs of inputs, such as fertilizers and pesticides, and electricity tools, above all, addition to the percentage of annual budgetary allocations have been among the priorities of the state in the sector for the sake of better outcomes. Therefore, the government has also taken small yet important steps towards the betterment of the agriculture sector.
- Provision of high quality input
Further, to improve the agricultural outcome, the government has taken remarkable initiatives in fostering input quality. In this regard, the government has promoted sustainable harvesting and farming techniques, such as advanced irrigation methods like sprinklers and trickle irrigation, crop-rotation method to avoid crop exhaustion, developing high-yielding crops that are sustainable to heat, drought, and pests, establishment of a seed unit to develop production of quality seeds. As a result of such efforts, quality seeds currently meet 40 per cent of yearly demands.
- Transformation to modern agricultural methods
In the same manner, the government has also taken important measures in order to uplift its agricultural productivity by transforming traditional methods to modern methods. Programs, including farmers training, transformation of knowledge, use of modern technologies, and enhancement of agricultural research and institutions, are initiated for the sake of agricultural development.
- Development of the agriculture industry
Moving forward, development of the agriculture industry has been a pivotal initiative taken by Pakistan. Initiatives include; Agriculture Transformation Plan, it focuses on agricultural output by improving seeds, mechanization, and water efficiency, Cluster Based Development; it emphases on high-potential commodities, and attracts small investors to foster production and market access, and Investment in Infrastructure; it provides facilities to lessen post-harvest losses and grow value addition. Thereby, the growth of the agricultural industry paves the way for better outcomes and productivity.
- Establishment of various research and development
For the sake of awareness, the nation has developed initiatives to strengthen research and agriculture-based institutions, aiming at improving the productivity. In this regard, plans and programs include the Medium Term Development Framework (MTDF), National Agricultural Policy, and Capacity Building and Training are undertaken to promote agricultural outreach and support. Thus, positive growth in agricultural outcome might be seen in future as a result of the measures.
Critically Analysis
Critically, even though the nation has undertaken various significant initiatives to save the agriculture sector’s boat from drowning, it still needs long-term measures to not only grow the agricultural economy but also make the industry more resilient and sustainable. Taking an example from Australia, the country is highly well-known for its successfully developed agricultural sector. In this regard, Australia has significantly focused on steps, including technological advancement, export strength, and diverse crop productions that benefit and transform its agricultural sector. Apart from that, it has also introduced the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), which brings out long-term strategies that help developing countries enhance crop yields, livestock management, fisheries and aquaculture systems, and natural resource management. Furthermore, it promotes research for development, collaborative partnerships, climate change adaptation, and economic benefits. Therefore, taking the policies of ACIAR as priority, Pakistan would combat all challenges, meet its requirements, and develop its agricultural industry.
Conclusion
In summary, the agricultural system of Pakistan acts as a lifeline for social and economic development of the country as it is responsible for the needs of about 67% of the population. However, due to adverse effects of climate change and constant population growth, the agricultural system is confronting various challenges, including irrigation issues, low quality yields, ineffective outcomes, and lack of budgetary. To overcome such issues, the nation has taken measures, such as an increase in research institutions, financial supports, water management policies, and provision of quality inputs, which was profoundly effective, adding one per cent to the GDP growth and employing millions of labourers. Nevertheless, it is crucial for the country to adopt long-term strategies and policies of ACIAR to bring permanent growth in its agricultural system.
CSS Solved Past Papers’ Essays
Looking for the last ten years of CSS and PMS Solved Essays and want to know how Sir Kazim’s students write and score the highest marks in the essays’ papers? Then, click on the CSS Solved Essays to start reading them.
CSS Solved Essays
CSS Solved General Science & Ability Past Papers
Want to read the last ten years’ General Science & Ability Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS GSA coach having the highest score of their students.
General Science & Ability Solved Past Papers
