Agri census launched: Number of farm households increases to 11.7m
While launching the results of the 7th Agricultural Census 2024 on Wednesday, he said that Pakistan's first-ever integrated digital agricultural census, marking a significant milestone in the country's data-driven transformation of the agriculture sector. The minister termed the occasion a 'turning point' in Pakistan's agricultural history, stating: 'Today's launch is not the end, but the beginning of a practical revolution rooted in data.'
He said that the census reveals a notable expansion in Pakistan's cultivated land, which has grown from 42.6 million acres in 2010 to 52.8 million acres in 2024. However, the average farm size has declined from 6.6 acres to 5.1 acres, reflecting changing land ownership patterns and population pressures, he said.
Punjab govt launches 7th Agri Census 2024
Highlighting the government's digital vision, Iqbal noted, 'Under the Prime Minister's URAAN Pakistan initiative, we seek to digitally empower every sector of the economy. This census is a testament to that commitment.' The digital enumeration covered every province and region, including remote and high-altitude areas, ensuring full national representation.
Thousands of trained personnel, equipped with digital tools, carried out the exercise, replacing outdated paper-based methods. He emphasised that the newly-gathered data will support targeted, transparent, and effective policymaking in the agriculture sector, which has long suffered from fragmented and outdated statistics.
He said, 'The census provides detailed insights into land use, irrigation systems, crop diversity, livestock, mechanisation and farm demographics. These findings are expected to inform a wide range of public and private sector initiatives, including, smart subsidy and credit schemes tailored to smallholders and underserved regions; climate-resilient agriculture and better disaster preparedness; mechanisation and irrigation efficiency programmes; agribusiness investments, including food processing and value chain development.'
Underscoring the human dimension of agriculture, the minister said, 'Agriculture is not just about land and crops; it is about people. Through knowledge and empowerment, we will make our farmers the masters of their own destiny.'
He highlighted the census's role in identifying women farmers and young agripreneurs, enabling inclusive policymaking and opening new pathways for digital advisory services and modern training.
He reiterated that evidence-based governance is vital to achieving Pakistan's economic goals.
'This data will lay the foundation for a food-secure, export-oriented, trillion-dollar economy by 2035.' The minister acknowledged the efforts of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), provincial and district governments, universities, experts, and development partners such as the FAO for their collaboration in this historic exercise.
In closing, he urged all stakeholders to act on the findings with urgency and unity of purpose: 'Let us move forward with a shared commitment—to make every farm more productive, every farmer more prosperous, and Pakistan's agriculture globally competitive.'
He said that the 7th Agricultural Census 2024, through its digital methodology and inclusive scope, sets a new benchmark for evidence-based policymaking and reaffirms the government's commitment to transforming Pakistan's agricultural landscape through innovation, data, and empowerment.
Moreover, as part of the digital advancements under the 7th Agricultural Census, a dedicated Data Portal for Large Holdings has also been launched. This portal hosts detailed data collected from large-scale agricultural holders during the census and now provides them with the opportunity to regularly update their information in real-time.
Iqbal appreciated this innovative step and stated that it is a commendable initiative which will be shared with all provinces to support coordinated and data-driven agricultural planning. He said that it is a major step towards dynamic data governance, enabling timely interventions, improved planning for high-value agriculture, and direct engagement with major stakeholders in the sector.
According to the latest census, the total livestock population in the country has reached 251.3 million in 2024. The number of cattle has reached 55.8 million, buffalos 47.7 million, sheep 44.5 million, goats 95 million, camels 1.5 million, and donkeys 4.8 million.
In Punjab, cultivation of wheat area is 41.5 per cent, Sindh 40 per cent, KPK 50 per cent and in Balochistan 48.3 per cent. Sugarcane cultivation area in Punjab is 13.4 per cent, Sindh 2.7 per cent, KPK three per cent and Balochistan 3.2 per cent.
Cotton growing area in Punjab now merely 3.7 per cent, Sindh 14 per cent and Balochistan 0.2 per cent. The cultivation area of rice in Punjab is 1.9 per cent, Sindh 21.5 per cent, KPK 4.3 per cent and Balochistan 8.2 per cent.
The cultivation area of maize in Punjab is 10.2 per cent, Sindh 13.2 per cent, KPK 18.4 per cent and Balochistan 16.7 per cent.
He said that the census reveals a notable expansion in Pakistan's cultivated land, which has grown from 42.6 million acres in 2010 to 52.8 million acres in 2024. However, the average farm size has declined from 6.6 acres to 5.1 acres, reflecting changing land ownership patterns and population pressures, he said.
Average farm size of Punjab increased from 5.6 acres to 6.15 acres. In Sindh farm size reduced from 8.8 acres to 5.03 acres. In KPK it was reduced from 3.6 acres to 2.12 acre. Whereas in Balochistan it reduced from 22.7 acres to 16.07 acres.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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