Report: ANI
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Kisan Wing, chaired by its Organiser Sheikh Waqas Akram, held a consultative meeting on Monday to examine declining agricultural production and growing food security challenges, and propose sustainable solutions.
The meeting was attended by Central Information Secretary Khalid Nawaz Sadhraich, Punjab President Ejaz Shafi, Punjab Information Secretary Waqas Mann, Central Punjab Regional President Khurram Shahzad Warraich, South Punjab Regional President Jamshed Dasti and North Punjab Regional President Sardar Ali Muhammad, among others.
Briefing the media, Khalid Nawaz Sadhraich said rising agricultural input costs, lack of fair support prices, inconsistent policies and shrinking farmland were major reasons behind declining agricultural production. He said land fragmentation due to inheritance, population growth and the expansion of housing societies on fertile land had further worsened the situation.
Citing an agricultural report, he said Pakistan's average farm size had declined from 6.4 to 5.3 acres, while the number of farms had increased from 8.26 million to 11.10 million. Around 90 per cent of farms were smaller than 12 acres, including 67 per cent measuring less than five acres.
The meeting unanimously adopted a resolution urging the government to introduce incentives to prevent land fragmentation, promote cooperative farming and strictly prohibit housing schemes on fertile agricultural land. It also called for implementing plans to bring approximately 22 million acres of cultivable but uncultivated land under corporate farming through the Green Pakistan Initiative.
Participants proposed developing new cities on barren and uncultivable land to protect fertile agricultural areas and meet growing housing requirements.
Khalid Nawaz Sadhraich said fragmented agricultural holdings increased labour requirements and operational costs, negatively affecting productivity. He warned that continued neglect of agriculture could threaten national food security and force Pakistan to spend billions of rupees importing essential food commodities.
The meeting also proposed allowing inherited small landholdings belonging to different family members to be cultivated collectively as larger farms while protecting individual inheritance rights and ensuring fair distribution of profits.
The participants urged the government and relevant institutions to consult small farmers, formulate a comprehensive agricultural strategy and implement it without delay.
