Q-3 = What are reasons of agricultural backwardness in Pakistan
REASONS OF AGRICULTURAL BACKWARDNESSMain reasons for agricultural backwardness in Pakistan are as under: -
1. Under utilization of cultivatable land
2. Uneconomic land holdings
3. Concentration of land ownership
4. Lack of irrigation facilities
5. Old methods of cultivation
6. Shortage of finance
7. Inadequate supply of inputs
8. Water logging and salinity
9. Soil erosion
10. Natural calamities
11. Absence of regulated markets
12. Lack of education and training
13. Improper agricultural research
14. Lack of alternative occupations
1. UNDER UTILIZATION OF CULTIVATABLE LANDThe total area of Pakistan is 80 million hectares out of which 22 million hectares of land i.e. 25% land is being cultivated. Due to various reasons a greater potion of land is not used for cultivation purpose, that’s why our agriculture output is low. We should bring a greater portion of land under the use of agriculture.
2. UNECONOMIC HOLDINGSIt means small area of land, which is uneconomical to cultivate. Due to inheritance system, land is divided and subdivided into small pieces, making it uneconomical to cultivate. Small and scattered holdings produce less output.
3. CONCENTRATION OF LAND OWNERSHIP In Pakistan Jagirdars and big Zamindars who own majority of land area live in big cities and do not take much interest in the development of agriculture. They give their lands to landless people for cultivation on the basis of heavy Lagan or Batai (some agreed proportion of output). Since a greater portion of output goes to the zamindars and very less is left to small and poor peasants, they get frustrated and do not take much interest to raise productivity.
4. LACK OF IRRIGATION FACILITIESDevelopment and progress of agriculture is based on regular supply of sufficient quantity of water. Rains in Pakistan are uncertain and unpredictable, whereas irrigation system is unsatisfactory. Inadequate water supply through irrigation system, i.e. from wells, ponds, and canals are causing low agriculture productivity
5. OLD METHODS OF CULTIVATIONPrimitive methods of cultivation i.e. use of wooden Hul, Phaora, Sohaga and Bail (Oxen) cannot increase output. It is therefore the need of the day that our farmers should use tractors, threshers, bulldozers and tube-wells.
6. SHORTAGE OF FINANCE Our farmer is poor. In order to meet his demand he borrows money from relatives, friends and moneylenders at a very high interest-rate. Due to shortage of finance he cannot adopt new methods of cultivation.
7. INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF INPUTSOur farmer uses poor quality seeds. Due to lack of finance and ignorance he do not use fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, improved high yielding seeds and modern machinery, therefore his output keeps on decreasing.
8. WATER LOGGING & SALINITYWith the continued use lands have become waterlogged and saline. The excess and salty water is very harmful for production of agricultural goods. This situation is decreasing area of cultivatable land.
9. SOIL EROSION Winds and floods take away fertility of land, causing the land sandy and barren, thus output decreases drastically.
10. NATURAL CALAMITIESHeavy rains, floods, droughts, hailstorms, and pest attacks are frequent in our agricultural sector causing heavy damages to the standing crops.
11. INSUFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTUREStores, power supply, transport, and road facilities are very less, which hampers development of agricultural sector. Produce is stored on open places, which is destroyed due to rains, winds and insects.
12. ABSENCE OF REGULATED MARKETSMarkets are far away and there is no transport with the farmers. It is very difficult to carry the products to far-flung markets therefore farmers are forced to sell their 50 produce at a low price to the local commission agents.
13. LACK OF EDUCATION & TRAININGOur farmer is uneducated and untrained. He does not know the latest multiple cropping, pest control equipment, the use of technology and other modern farming practices. All this results in the decrease in output per hectare.
14. IMPROPER AGRICULTURAL RESEARCHResearch facilities in agricultural sector result in the development of better quality seeds, modern storage facilities, economical use of water, cheap fertilizers, effective low cost insecticides, and locally produced cheap machinery. Due to shortage of funds proper research is not being carried out in this field.
15. LACK OF ALTERNATIVE OCCUPATIONSIn case of failure of crop due to one reason or the other, our farmers become distressed. They live from hand to mouth and their source of income dries down. There is lack of agro-based industries such as dairy, poultry, and livestock farms, which may increase income of farmers during off-season.
REASONS OF AGRICULTURAL BACKWARDNESSMain reasons for agricultural backwardness in Pakistan are as under: -
1. Under utilization of cultivatable land
2. Uneconomic land holdings
3. Concentration of land ownership
4. Lack of irrigation facilities
5. Old methods of cultivation
6. Shortage of finance
7. Inadequate supply of inputs
8. Water logging and salinity
9. Soil erosion
10. Natural calamities
11. Absence of regulated markets
12. Lack of education and training
13. Improper agricultural research
14. Lack of alternative occupations
1. UNDER UTILIZATION OF CULTIVATABLE LANDThe total area of Pakistan is 80 million hectares out of which 22 million hectares of land i.e. 25% land is being cultivated. Due to various reasons a greater potion of land is not used for cultivation purpose, that’s why our agriculture output is low. We should bring a greater portion of land under the use of agriculture.
2. UNECONOMIC HOLDINGSIt means small area of land, which is uneconomical to cultivate. Due to inheritance system, land is divided and subdivided into small pieces, making it uneconomical to cultivate. Small and scattered holdings produce less output.
3. CONCENTRATION OF LAND OWNERSHIP In Pakistan Jagirdars and big Zamindars who own majority of land area live in big cities and do not take much interest in the development of agriculture. They give their lands to landless people for cultivation on the basis of heavy Lagan or Batai (some agreed proportion of output). Since a greater portion of output goes to the zamindars and very less is left to small and poor peasants, they get frustrated and do not take much interest to raise productivity.
4. LACK OF IRRIGATION FACILITIESDevelopment and progress of agriculture is based on regular supply of sufficient quantity of water. Rains in Pakistan are uncertain and unpredictable, whereas irrigation system is unsatisfactory. Inadequate water supply through irrigation system, i.e. from wells, ponds, and canals are causing low agriculture productivity
5. OLD METHODS OF CULTIVATIONPrimitive methods of cultivation i.e. use of wooden Hul, Phaora, Sohaga and Bail (Oxen) cannot increase output. It is therefore the need of the day that our farmers should use tractors, threshers, bulldozers and tube-wells.
6. SHORTAGE OF FINANCE Our farmer is poor. In order to meet his demand he borrows money from relatives, friends and moneylenders at a very high interest-rate. Due to shortage of finance he cannot adopt new methods of cultivation.
7. INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF INPUTSOur farmer uses poor quality seeds. Due to lack of finance and ignorance he do not use fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, improved high yielding seeds and modern machinery, therefore his output keeps on decreasing.
8. WATER LOGGING & SALINITYWith the continued use lands have become waterlogged and saline. The excess and salty water is very harmful for production of agricultural goods. This situation is decreasing area of cultivatable land.
9. SOIL EROSION Winds and floods take away fertility of land, causing the land sandy and barren, thus output decreases drastically.
10. NATURAL CALAMITIESHeavy rains, floods, droughts, hailstorms, and pest attacks are frequent in our agricultural sector causing heavy damages to the standing crops.
11. INSUFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTUREStores, power supply, transport, and road facilities are very less, which hampers development of agricultural sector. Produce is stored on open places, which is destroyed due to rains, winds and insects.
12. ABSENCE OF REGULATED MARKETSMarkets are far away and there is no transport with the farmers. It is very difficult to carry the products to far-flung markets therefore farmers are forced to sell their 50 produce at a low price to the local commission agents.
13. LACK OF EDUCATION & TRAININGOur farmer is uneducated and untrained. He does not know the latest multiple cropping, pest control equipment, the use of technology and other modern farming practices. All this results in the decrease in output per hectare.
14. IMPROPER AGRICULTURAL RESEARCHResearch facilities in agricultural sector result in the development of better quality seeds, modern storage facilities, economical use of water, cheap fertilizers, effective low cost insecticides, and locally produced cheap machinery. Due to shortage of funds proper research is not being carried out in this field.
15. LACK OF ALTERNATIVE OCCUPATIONSIn case of failure of crop due to one reason or the other, our farmers become distressed. They live from hand to mouth and their source of income dries down. There is lack of agro-based industries such as dairy, poultry, and livestock farms, which may increase income of farmers during off-season.