Reforms: PTI's role in uplifting agriculture sector.

Byline: FAZEEL ASIF

LAHORE -- How the agriculture sector performs in any given time period has a multiplier effect on not just Punjab's economy but also Pakistan's whole economy.

Unfortunately, this sector under the previous governments had long suffered from neglect and ad hoc, reactionist interventions, which prioritised short-term growth, as compared to longer-term structural changes designed to address underlying problems with Punjab's agriculture sector.

It is because of this neglect that today Punjab's agricultural landscape is marked by a stale, homogenous crop-mix, environmentally hazardous irrigation practices, poor quality farm inputs and a fractured system of produce markets.

Under the PTI government's 100-day agenda, the government of Punjab introduced its vision for the agriculture sector by developing the first-ever comprehensive Punjab Agriculture Policy.

In the absence of such a policy, the interventions made by the previous governments were not complementary to each other, mainly benefited large farmers of developed districts and left behind rural women, youth and small farmers.

In stark contrast to the past, this government's agricultural policy proposes data-driven, interconnected and cohesive interventions aimed at increasing farmer profitability, encouraging crop diversification, optimising subsidy programmes, improving access to credit for farmers, transforming produce markets, expanding water conservation efforts, improving food security and increasing exports.

The agriculture produce market system of Punjab has not kept pace with the increase in the volume of produce. The total number of markets has only increased from 169 in 1962 to 233 in 2016 while the volume of produce over the same time period has grown at a much greater pace.

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, the PTI government is taking steps to modernise this sector by introducing the Punjab Agriculture Markets Regulatory Authority Act and establishing new model produce markets in the province with the support of the Asian Development Bank. The first of these markets is being constructed in Lakkho Der at a cost of Rs5 billion. The new markets being constructed are designed to benefit the farmers and will be marked by farmer corners, clean and modern facilities such as banks, grading and packaging facilities.

Today, there is a huge gap between the yields of an average farmer and a progressive farmer.

Over the past decade, the growth rate of...