Pakistan is an agricultural country with fertile land, sufficient water resources, generally favourable ecology and hardworking farm labour. But due to thoughtless planning and mismanagement of agricultural resources, this beautiful country has become food deficient, where people are starving even in rural areas.
In agricultural settings, food and fodder are sufficiently available to meet human and animal needs locally. It is very strange that Pakistan imports apples, bananas, potatoes, tomatoes, onions and ginger. Iranian bhindi is also available in Islamabad.
In urban areas the situation is even worse where prices of food stuff are skyrocketing. Vegetables and fruit are beyond the reach of a middle class family. In Islamabad, vegetables are selling at Rs60-100 per KG. Prices of cucumber and potatoes, poor man’s vegetables, are beyond his reach. For a pensioner, ladyfinger (bhindi) is a forbidden delicacy (Rs100 per kg). Imported banana is selling at rupees 200 per dozen. How can a low salaried person afford the luxury of fruit in Pakistan! Food security is posing as a serious problem in Pakistan. Unfortunately rulers are insensitive to this basic human need.
In the Master Plan of Islamabad, there was a provision for farms to supply vegetables and fruit to the residents of the Federal Capital. What happened to these farms, is no secret. CDA is the culprit!
On paper there is Kitchen Garden scheme with supposedly hefty budget to motivate people living in big houses to grow vegetables for personal consumption. Though no research finding is available, it can be safely surmised that GORs in provincial capitals can produce sufficient vegetables and fruit for the people living in metropolises. The lawns of Islamabad Club can produce sufficient vegetables for the capital as well as Rawalpindi. Government rest houses can also produce fruit. But the bureaucrats want to have large lawns to relax in the evening rather than allowing vegetables grow.
PM and Governor Houses should be declared model farm houses to produce foodstuff for the poor people. In Cantonment area, large tracts of land can be used for agricultural purpose. Let Army take the lead and start a scheme on the lines of Military Diary Farms. Food security is as important as border security for the people of Pakistan. A well fed population is an asset for the defence of the country.
There is dire need of boosting production of vegetables and fruit to control market forces. To achieve this objective National Food Security Programme may be started to provide relief to the people. They need food more than Metro bus.
ASGHAR MAHMOOD
ISLAMABAD