Common misconceptions about the agriculture — Part 2

3.      No scope for organic farming in Pakistan

As defined by FAO (1999):

“Organic farming is an environmental friendly ecosystem management in which, use of all kinds of synthetic inputs is eliminated”.

In the area demarcated for “organic farming” crops are cultivated without the use of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, veterinary drugs, hormones, Genetically Modified Seeds (GM seeds) and breeds, additives, preservatives, etc. The demand for organically grown food crops has risen to a great extent in the recent years due to the harmful effects of the food grown with the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.

The use of chemicals to increase the crop output has unanticipated damaging effects on our body. The food we eat these days is full of harmful elements because of the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. Some people argue that rinsing the vegetables and fruits thoroughly with water will completely eliminate harmful elements but in reality,  although this process may wash away the pesticides from the outer surface, it will not make food fully pure as it is contaminated from inside as well.

Pakistan is facing a potential threat of losing many international markets after the introduction of World Trade Organisation (WTO). Recent export trends indicate that Pakistan is exporting fruit largely to the Middle East, Sri Lanka and Central Russian States, because in those countries quality standards are not as strict as the developed countries. The current exports of Kinnow to European countries is almost nil. Pakistan is, therefore, in the process of introducing Euro Good Agricultural Practice (Euro GAP) to upgrade its farming standards in line with International standards.

Pakistan possesses one of the greatest potentials among the developing countries in organic farming if proper measures are taken. Millions of acres of highly fertile and productive-virgin lands can be the potential areas for delineation as organic farming areas. Organic farming may have an unstoppable impact to alleviate poverty by providing large-scale employment to unskilled or semi-skilled labour in cultivating the productive-virgin lands.

Recent export trends indicate that Pakistan is exporting fruit largely to the Middle East, Sri Lanka and Central Russian States, because in those countries quality standards are not as strict as the developed countries

Pakistan is bestowed with exceptional and diverse crop/animal husbandry growing conditions which make it the best place to pursue organic farming. The organic produce can increase the farm income manifold depending on quality and adoption of strict discipline for quality.

4.      Agriculture is not backed by Pakistani government

Anyone in the agriculture business knows that farming is very expensive. The expenses of starting up and running a farm can be overwhelming, and it’s possible you may be in need of financing especially if you had a flooded farm in recent past and need to cultivate a new crop. That’s where an agriculture loan is required most.

There is a general misconception about the Pakistani government that it doesn’t help farmers especially financially. However, many financing/loaning schemes have been launched by federal and provincial governments on concessional rates of markup for financing crop production loans (seed, fertiliser, pesticides, etc). Almost every bank in Pakistan has different agricultural loaning products on the instructions of State Bank of Pakistan to facilitate the farmers.

Before you make up your mind for an agriculture loan, you need to plan how to spend the money. You should ascertain, what resources will most benefit you and keep your operations running. How much and how long do you need to borrow? You’ll need to have these plans in place before you get the loan because the bank will ensure that you use the loan in the right way.

5.      Small farms are unimportant

In Pakistan due to inheritance system large cultivable lands are being divided into small farms and economists warn that these small farms are reducing the per hectare production. They have declared small farms as backward, fruitless, and inefficient and above all an obstacle to economic development. But this theory seems to be wrong if we can see agriculture in the larger picture.

Small farms perform several functions to benefit both society and the environment, and which contribute far more than just one commodity but there is enough evidence that a small farm model for agricultural growth could produce far more food as compared to a large farm. As per World Bank studies, in Pakistan there is ample evidence in favour of small forms in terms of productivity.

Small farms represent great diversity in ownership, in cropping systems, in landscapes, in the biological organisation, culture, and traditions. A diverse farm structure backs biodiversity, a diverse and aesthetically pleasing rural landscape, and open space.

Large farmers often plant specific crops as they are the easiest to manage with heavy machinery. Small farmers, in Pakistan, plant crop mixtures even engage technique of intercropping where the empty space between the rows is occupied by other crops. They also combine or rotate crops and livestock, in order to replenish soil fertility. This type of farming system produces far more per hectare than do some specific crops.

From the economists’ point of view large farms are more productive because they produce more wheat per acre. But these large farms do not produce the other six, eight, ten or twelve products that the smaller farm is producing. In addition, all our vegetables and daily use herbs are also the products of small farms. When we add all of these together, they result in a much greater total agricultural output per acre than the larger farms are producing.

In small farms, productive activities, consumption patterns, labour mobilisation, ecological knowledge and shared interests in the long-term maintenance of the farm as a resource, contribute to a stable and lasting economic and family-based enterprise. Work quality, management, knowledge, and relationships are intertwined and mutually reinforcing. Family farmers regularly achieve higher and more dependable production from their land than do larger farms operating in similar environments.

Concluding the above-stated facts, we can say that a total or prolonged disconnection from agriculture leads us to believe that we understand the facts more than we do but the case is otherwise. Ground realities are far different from what we perceive after studying in classrooms or what is being fed to investors by dealers. We make unwise assumptions about the agricultural ability of Pakistan due to lack of both knowledge and interest. In short, we have many misconceptions about the promising and never betraying agriculture industry of Pakistan.