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)