Strengthening food security systems in Pakistan
Thirty-seven percent of Pakistan's population is already vulnerable to food insecurity. This figure will soon exacerbate given the effect of recent external challenges including the rapid spread of Covid-19 and its subsequent Government restrictions, and Pakistan’s largest locust infestation in 25 years devasting large areas of agricultural land, including cotton,…
Building the policy ecosystem for organic production in Balochistan, Pakistan
Sectoral approaches to land management (increasing production, for instance) are no longer viable to meet global challenges such as poverty alleviation, biodiversity conservation and food production due to mounting pressures from population increases and climate change. Organic production, however, is a more profitable, sustainable and environmentally-friendly approach to agriculture that…
Capacity building of small-scale potato growers in Punjab Pakistan
Potato is an important crop in Pakistan for both consumers and producers. It is nutritious, produces high returns and there is a potential to increase yields by using good potato cultivation practices. However, a lack of knowledge concerning these is inhibiting many smallholder farmers in their effort to raise productivity.…
Enhancing technology-based agriculture and marketing in rural Punjab
Punjab’s agriculture growth rate has declined over the last two decades because of various challenges. These include the inadequate availability of high-yielding cultivars and lack of diversification in cultivation, inefficient on-farm water management, poor infrastructure for value chain development, weak research and extension services that are largely disconnected from market…