Report raises alarm for looming famine in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: A recent report has sounded the alarm regarding a potential famine in Punjab over the next two decades, attributing it to a myriad of factors including climate change, unplanned population growth, erroneous government policies, and the absence of stable action plans.

According to the report compiled by the audit team, the Punjab government allocated substantial subsidies exceeding Rs367 billion across various sectors from 2016 to 2021. Notably, over Rs307 billion were allocated for food, Rs32 billion for transportation, and more than Rs27 billion for agriculture.

Despite these efforts, the report highlights that the average amount allocated for agriculture, aimed at reducing production costs, was meager, indicating a need for more targeted strategies.

Climate change’s impact on agricultural productivity is a significant concern, as highlighted in the report. It cites past droughts and emphasizes that with every degree Celsius increase in global average temperatures, global wheat production is expected to decrease by an average of 6 per cent in the coming decades.

This trend, combined with rising urbanization leading to decreased agricultural land and increased demand for wheat in urban areas, paints a bleak picture of food security in Punjab, the report says.

One of the key findings of the report is the gradual shift of farmers towards alternative crops such as maize and potatoes due to increasing production costs and the diminishing viability of wheat cultivation. This shift, if not managed carefully, could exacerbate the already precarious situation of food security in the region.

Furthermore, the report highlights challenges in wheat availability, including limited storage capacity and reliance on wheat imports, resulting in decreased reserves for exchange and rising flour prices for consumers. Concerns have been raised about unexpected flour availability through domestic factors such as price differences, potential smuggling, and unchecked flour mills.

In response to these findings, the report strongly recommends a comprehensive strategic action plan involving all stakeholders.

It stresses the importance of collaborative efforts to formulate long-term policies focusing on key areas such as reevaluating minimally supportive prices, targeted subsidies, governance improvements, and a reform agenda based on well-thought-out action plans.

The report emphasizes the effective implementation of these measures and their complete supervision to improve food security concerning wheat cultivation, ensuring that Pakistan remains a food-secure nation in the future.