Problems of Small Scale Farmers

(Amna Malik, Islamabad)

Small farmers in Pakistan comprise at least three fourth of the total population of farmers to dominate the agricultural sector. Owning small stretches of land less than 12 acres, these farmers are at a perpetual risk as they face many problems including shortage of inputs, price volatility, low bargaining power and changing government policies in the favor of large farmers.

Their inability to adopt new agricultural production practices to enhance productivity along with the shortage of storing areas once the crop has been harvested has dire consequences for them. They largely depend upon small scale, non- commercial, traditional agricultural practices which ultimately lead to low productivity thus affecting levels of income and saving of farmers especially smaller ones and pushing them in a vicious circle of poverty.

Considering their financial conditions, these farmers are dependent on traders, processors and input suppliers. These traders provide credit to farmers on the condition that at the time of harvest, they will sell their produce to those traders only.

Punjab being the agricultural hub of Pakistan, also has its problems in small scale farming. According to government of Pakistan, in Punjab 85 percent of the total farms belong to category of small farms. Not only do these farmers face poverty and exploitation issues, but scarcity of water poses the biggest challenge to them. In the prevalent semi-arid environment in Pakistan and the limited rainfall is hardly sufficient for the crop as it satisfies less that 15 percent of the demands.

In this backdrop, irrigated farming becomes an economical form of agriculture as it uses underground water resources and supplies at least 90 percent of the crops. The limitations of surface water and the loss in reservoirs that occur due to siltation is then compensated by exploiting underground water. Thus, ground water has become extremely essential for development of agriculture and rural economy.

Earlier, wells with rope and buckets, Persian wheels, karezes and hand pumps were used to take water out. However, large scale water abstraction for irrigation began after the 1960’s where large capacity tubewells were used. This triggered the growth of private tubewells with capacity of less than one cusec of water. Subsidized power supply and introduction of locally manufactured diesel engines provided an impetus for dramatic increase in the number of private tubewells.

This allowed the farmers to cover their water needs very well, but due to the unregulated use of groundwater salt water intrusion has emerged in many areas of the Indus basin. Further, excessive extraction has lowered the water levels and thus pumping becomes more expensive.

For most of the electric tubewells that were installed in the 1970’s onwards, the capital costs for the installation of electric tubewells were borne by Water and Power Development Authority. Uptil 1991, Pakistan had metered electricity tariff for irrigation tubewells. As the energy cost shot up, the farmers started complaining and the danger for low crop production increased as a result of non-availability of adequate water supplies. This turned the thinking of the government, and as a result, flat tariff was introduced for the irrigation tubewells. The farming community was in favor of flat tariff due to the reason that there was no billing despite extensive pumping and purchasing water from neighbors on low rates.

Despite the advantage of electric tubewells, their installation remained restricted to large landowners as the expenses of the installation were very difficult to meet for the smaller farmers. Therefore, they relied more on diesel tubewells, and thus, the number of diesel tubewells in the country kept on increasing. Another restricting factor in the installation of electric tubewells was the high capital cost of drawing cable from the main line to tubewell, transformer and other accessories.

In the previous regime a lot of stress had to be borne by small farmers due to which many were forced to sell their land and find other means of livelihood. This had served as a great blow to the economy as Pakistan largely depends upon agriculture for its economic needs. The current government, however, has brought about a few policy changes that aim to aid the life of the small farmer.

In order to help the small scale farmers who find themselve drowning under high cost of survival, the government of the Punjab will give 80 percent subsidy on the installation cost of tube wells run on solar energy panels. It is proposed that solar panels will be installed in particular districts of Punjab where water table is between 50 to 80 feet. Minister Agriculture said that government is planning to initially install hundred solar energy supported tube wells on experimental basis. The project, once run successful, will be extended throughout the province.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that electricity would be provided to the tubewells of farmers throughout the country at Rs.10.5 per unit. The government is utilizing all available resources for providing maximum facilities to farmers and cultivators. A total of 30,000 subsidized tractors, fertilizers and agri implements will be provided. Also, a subsidy of 30 billion rupees in the current budget for the provision of fertilizers to the cultivators has been approved. Discussions are in progress so that all the problems faced by the Kissan ittehad should be resolved. The current regime, keeping in mind the significance of agriculture is making all out efforts for the stability of agriculture economy and is taking revolutionary steps for providing maximum facilities to agriculture sector and solution of the problems of cultivators on priority basis.(Ends)

Amna Malik
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