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Express Tribune
13-07-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Farmers complain of water shortage despite low flood at barrages
A low flood has been declared at two of the three barrages in Sindh while an identical situation is developing at the third one yet the growers in Sindh continue to cry about shortage of irrigation water. The Sindh Abadgar Board, a farmers' lobbying group whose office bearers held a meeting in Hyderabad on Sunday, bewailed that the water rotation system which is implemented during period of water scarcity in the Indus River is still in force in the province. The meeting, according to a press statement, demanded that the rotation should be stopped immediately and all the canals and water distributaries should be continuously supplied water. The farmers said many crops in Sindh would have dried due to the engineered water shortage if it had not rained in the month of June. SAB has complained that the irrigation water rotation is adversely affecting the agro economy as sowing in the ongoing Kharif season is just 30% of the same season in 2024. The regime is under implementation since March and the growers claimed that they have already suffered losses in the cultivated crops like mangoes, sugarcane and vegetables. "The current severe shortage of water in the backdrop of the losses to the agriculture last year, due to falling commodity prices, and reduced production will take the agricultural economy further down." The water discharge at the Guddu barrage on Sunday morning was recorded at 342,093 cusecs while it was 260,626 cusecs at Sukkur and 68,930 at Kotri barrages. The irrigation authorities have declared low flood at Guddu and Sukkur barrages. Cotton crop woes The meeting also pointed out the multi-faceted problems which have been affected the cotton production and the crop's growers as well. The farmers complained that poor quality seeds and pesticides as well as low crop prices have affected the crop's production, making its future cultivation bleaker. They said the existing prices of Rs6,300 to Rs6,800 are discouraging famers from cultivating cotton crop whose cost of inputs and climate protection measures have no longer kept it profitable. They demanded that the government in collaboration with the agriculture universities should embark on a wide-ranging research initiative to come up with seeds which suit the local climate. They also called for stringent regulatory measures to curb the rampant marketing and sale of spurious pesticides. Mahmood Nawaz Shah presided the meeting which was was attended by Syed Zain Shah, Dr Bashir Nizamani, Syed Nadeem Shah, Mohammed Aslam Mari and other office bearers and members of SAB.
Express Tribune
28-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Agri sector: solving the implementation impasse
Daud Khan is a consultant and advisor for various Governments and international agencies. He has degrees in Economics from the LSE and Oxford — where he was a Rhodes Scholar. And Mahmood Nawaz Shah has a BS in Marketing and an MS in Engineering Management from George Washington University. He is the President of the Sindh Abadgar Board Listen to article Agriculture is a critical sector of the economy providing jobs, food and export revenues. It is likely to maintain its key role particularly as manufacturing and services sectors, which have led development in many other countries, have not grown as they should have. Unfortunately, performance of the agriculture sector this year has been poor with a fall in production of most major crops and overall growth of 0.56%. In part, this was due to the unfavourable weather, with drought-like conditions and high temperatures in most parts of the country. In part, it was also due to the speed of reforms of the corrupt and inefficient wheat procurement system — reforms that were long overdue but maybe needed more time and better preparation. To get agriculture back on track, further reforms are needed such as liberalising domestic and international trade in both products and inputs. At the same time, the billions that were being spent on wheat procurement need to be redirected to neglected areas such as research and extension, promotion of agri-tech companies, land consolidation and use of new areas where cultivation is possible, albeit intermittently, due to climate change. If needed, further resources could be mobilised by reforming or privatising other inefficient government enterprises, such as the provincial seed companies and livestock farms. However, these changes, unlike policy reforms, require strong implementation capacity. And, to anyone familiar with development efforts in Pakistan, implementation remains our Achilles heel. Provincial Government departments dealing with agriculture, livestock and fisheries are weak with the bulk of expenditures going on salaries of support staff; senior management staff that are rotated in and out of the concerned departments at a breakneck pace; and technical experts who are mostly out of touch with modern agriculture techniques. At the same time at federal level, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research is understaffed and weak. In past years, it has made several blunders, including mismanagement of Pakistan imports and exports of essential foods such as wheat and sugar, with severe consequences on market supplies and prices. The unfortunate truth is that as long as Government and development partners continue to use inefficient and corrupt public institutions as their main partner, implementation will be slow and ineffective. But are there other implementation partners whose can be drawn in to ease the lack of implementation capacity? The answer is a resounding yes. First and foremost, there are farmers themselves. There is a pressing need to get farmers, especially small and medium farmers, to be much more involved in defining and implementing development initiatives. There is much experience to draw on, from inside and outside Pakistan, on the benefits of participatory development including for construction of local infrastructure. Such activities ensure relevance to local needs, better O&M and possibilities of cost sharing. And such involvement of beneficiaries need not — in fact, should not — stop at the farm gate but include other actors along the value chain such as traders, wholesalers, processors and transports. The next set of actors to bring more into the process are the private sector - and here we mean the medium and large enterprises that produce, import and supply inputs to the farmers; harvest, transport and process their output; provide them machinery service as well as credit and loans when needed; and help them with market information. Too often, some of these actors have been vilified as being exploitative, but they are an essential part of the agricultural eco-system, have deep knowledge and often deep pockets. An emerging and dynamic group are the new agro-tech entrepreneurs. These are mainly tech and financially savvy young people who see the inefficiencies in the agricultural sector as an opportunity rather than a problem and are investing money and skills. The third set of actors are the various NGOs that work in agriculture and rural development. Pakistan has a long history of active NGOs. Of note are the pioneering efforts by Akhtar Hameed Khan and subsequently by the Aga Khan Rural Support programme. Building on the work of these champions, rural support programmes have been set up at national, provincial and local level and several of these have come together to form a National Rural Support Network which promotes joint learning, assessment of experience and advocacy for a more "people driven" form of development. The fourth set of actors whose involvement needs to be enhanced are experts outside the country. These include people in universities, think-tanks and research institutions in the region and around the world, as well as the diaspora several of who have worked in top institutions such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the UN. These actors need to have been given a greater role in direct implementation. Moreover, coming together they can try to find innovations, learning as necessary from experience in other areas, particularly health and education. In these two areas, the private sector has played a key role, for example, in providing both fee paying and free services to people, including in remote areas. In addition, NGOs have played a major role, and bold experiments are underway such as allowing these NGOs to run Government schools and hospitals. Similarly, charitable organisations such as Edhi have become an essential pillar of most urban landscapes providing ambulances, funeral services and even care for abandoned animals. Last but not least, there are institutions such as Kaarigar and the vocation centre initially set up by Aman Foundation and now managed by Hunar Foundation, that work to build skills for underprivileged groups. In addition, these new actors should be involved in strengthening the Governance systems that guide and oversee the development effort. For example, they need to be part of the boards of the public research institutions, serve as advisors to chambers of commerce, and above all have access to top policymakers such as the Prime Minister, the Chief Ministers of the provinces, and ministers of agriculture at federal and provincial levels.
Express Tribune
13-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Sindh agriculture gets Rs133b
Listen to article The Sindh government has allocated a total of Rs132.79 billion for the agriculture sector in its 2025-26 budget. This includes Rs46.29 billion for the Agriculture Department, with Rs35.26 billion for service delivery and Rs11.03 billion for development projects. A key focus is the promotion of modern and sustainable farming practices across the province. The government has earmarked Rs789.5 million to subsidise solar-powered, high-efficiency irrigation systems aimed at improving water use in farming. To support the date farming industry, Rs508 million will go toward setting up processing, packaging, and new plant facilities. An additional Rs634 million will be spent on solarised pulp processing units for fruits and vegetables, while Rs396 million has been allocated to build a new fruit and vegetable market in Meher. For farm mechanisation, Rs390 million is set aside for modern agricultural implements. Another Rs220.7 million will be used to provide laser levelling equipment to farmers on a rental basis. Rs200 million has been allocated for upgrading laboratory equipment used in pesticide and fertiliser testing. "These initiatives are designed to revolutionise Sindh's agriculture, foster green transport solutions, and attract private investment in critical sectors," said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while presenting the Rs3.5 trillion budget for FY2025-26, with a deficit of Rs38.5 billion. This represents a 12.9% increase from the FY2024-25 budget of Rs3.1 trillion. "Through technology, partnership, and a pro-poor strategy, we are creating an inclusive, productive, and resilient rural economy," he added. A significant portion of the Rs132.79 billion allocation will be directed towards Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects to modernise the province's agricultural sector and improve productivity. One major PPP initiative is the Rice and Wheat Mechanisation Project, focusing on full-cycle mechanisation of rice and wheat farming. This includes techniques like laser levelling and drone spraying. The government launched the Request for Proposal (RFP) for transaction advisors in May 2025, with investor solicitation expected in September 2025. Another PPP project, the Cluster Farming Development Project, aims to map region-wise horticulture clusters in Sindh. It will support modern storage, processing units, and efficient transportation systems to reduce post-harvest losses and increase value addition. The government also announced tax and non-tax reliefs to simplify the tax system and reduce the financial burden on citizens and businesses. Five levies are proposed for removal: the cotton fee, professional tax on salaried individuals and small businesses, entertainment duty to promote cultural activities, and the local and drainage cesses. These reforms aim to create a business-friendly environment that supports agricultural and industrial growth. Agriculture expert Mahmood Nawaz Shah welcomed the increased agriculture budget but raised concerns over key gaps. He praised the Rs500 million allocation for date processing, calling it a positive step, but stressed such initiatives would be more effective if done through PPPs with a debt-equity model. "When the government alone funds such projects, they often face governance challenges, making it difficult to operate them on a commercial basis. Various interest groups interfere, risking the viability of the project," he warned. Shah also noted the absence of clear investments in agricultural research and seed development. "Nothing was mentioned about the Seed Corporation, which owns 6,000 acres. This is a missed opportunity to improve seed quality and innovation," he said. On water scarcity, Shah emphasised the need to increase water productivity through drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. "Water productivity remains low, and past successful initiatives like watercourse lining have been discontinued. The World Bank-supported drip irrigation programme was shelved, and no alternative strategy has been outlined in the new budget," he noted. In horticulture, Shah said apart from dates, no budgetary focus was given to value addition or processing of crops like mangoes, bananas, green chilies, and onions. "There should have been a focus on developing processing facilities, improving value chains, and boosting exports of these products. Sadly, the budget remains silent on these fronts," he added. Shah concluded that while the funding increase is welcome, the lack of planning in research, water efficiency, and value addition could limit long-term agricultural growth. For energy The Sindh government has allocated Rs67 billion for the energy sector in FY2025-26, focusing on renewable energy, rural electrification, and power infrastructure. A major portion, Rs13 billion, has been set aside for special projects aimed at expanding renewable energy sources in the province. Another Rs11.9 billion will provide Solar Home Systems (SHS) to low-income households in remote areas, improving access and reducing reliance on the national grid. The Village Electrification Programme in Sindh will receive Rs834 million, intended to enhance rural power connectivity. To promote localised power generation, the government has allocated Rs4 billion as subsidies for the establishment of new Captive Power Plants.
Express Tribune
06-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Govt ignored agri sector in upcoming budget: SAB
The Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) has deplored that the government appears indifferent to budgetary suggestions of their cohort as no consultative process has got underway with only few days left in the budget presentation. A meeting of the board, a group which lobbies for the rights of farmers, was held in Hyderabad on Thursday with Mahmood Nawaz Shah in the chair. The meeting underlined that the prevailing slump in agricultural economy, on the contrary, called for painstaking pre-budget deliberations among the stakeholders. The growers found fault with what they described as the government's 'cherry-pick' policy with regard to their sector's deregulation which, they claimed, is now being manipulated by the traders to the detriment of their corps. They contended that the actual deregulation of the agro-economy also encompassed free export of the agricultural produce, which to the utter disadvantage of the agriculturists, is being retrained. "[Besides] the export will only enhance when the agricultural industry is competitive. One of the aspects of competitiveness is to analyze the international prices which are backed by heavy subsidies in input costs like in India," they said. They pointed out that they will become competitive with foreign growers when a robust infrastructure is provided to the rural economy. "The anomaly of 18% GST [General Sales Tax] on locally produced cotton and the duty free import of cotton ought to be removed." The meeting also demanded withdrawal of the GST from imported and locally made machinery, implements and tractors. The measures like arranging subsidised credit, grants, equity participation and public private partnership have also become essential to support the sector with which the livelihood of tens of millions of people is connected. They gave reference of India, which has converted 22% of their area to high efficiency systems whereas Pakistan has not achieved even 0.5% target. Livestock The SAB has discredited the official figure of the livestock sector's over 4% growth in the ongoing fiscal. The Federal Planning Commission's working paper for the upcoming federal budget speaks about 4.7% expansion in the sector over the previous year.
