Agriculture and Crops of Pakistan

Food is a basic human need. It is fulfilled by agriculture, as well as clothing, housing and many other requirements. A growing human population on a global scale requires an increase in agricultural production.

Pakistan is an agricultural country. About 60 percent of its population depends directly or indirectly on agriculture. Almighty Allah has blessed Pakistan with large tracts of fertile agricultural land. We also have an extensive and one of the best canal irrigation systems in the world. Pakistan has achieved self-sufficiency in cereals (wheat, rice) and fruits. This is possible due to favorable climate, use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides, mechanized agriculture and efforts of our hard working farmers. Certain cash crops such as cotton, rice and fruits are also produced in significant quantities. These cash crops are a big source of foreign exchange earnings. Despite these successes, there is still a need to grow and increase the production of some crops, such as legumes and edible oil crops.

Mechanized Farming and Production Trends

Until recently, agriculture in Pakistan was labor intensive and depended mainly on muscle power. However, since the last few decades, production trends have emerged in agriculture. This means that crops are now grown not only for subsistence but also for sale for export and income. Mechanized farming is becoming popular in order to get more crop yield. Irrigation through tube wells, plowing and tilling the soil with tractors, use of harvester and thresher are common practices today.

Agricultural research has produced many disease-resistant varieties. The use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides is also increasing and becoming popular among farmers. All these trends have led to increased crop production leading to the improvement of the economic and social life of our people.

On the other hand, some environmental problems also appeared as a result of this development. Canals and distributers are often not lined with bricks, so water seeps through them. This results in rising groundwater levels. As a result, irrigated areas fall victim to the twin dangers of waterlogging and salinity. As a result of this problem, a large area of ​​fertile land has become unsuitable for agriculture. Insecticides and fertilizer applications increase environmental pollution. The number of insects that have become resistant to insecticides and pesticides has increased. Growing the same crop the year after led to a decrease in soil fertility. Sustainable agriculture that includes crop rotation, soil and soil conservation and minimal use of fertilizers is the need of the day.