AGRICULTURE
SECTOR SUMMARY
Why is this Sector Important?
Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. This sector contributes one-quarter of the total GDP to the country. Pakistan has been blessed with the landscapes and natural resources to exploit this sector. A very large portion of Pakistan’s population is associated with agriculture. This includes major industry sectors like textile, fertilizers, and others.
With factors like growing population and climate change, this sector is under significant pressure. The livelihood of Pakistani farmers is significantly impacted by the rising cost of input (fertilizers, seeds), scarcity of agricultural water, division of land, and the inability of getting the right price for their crops. The major innovation is needed in multiple areas of this sector to keep it competitive, viable and turn it into a competitive advantage for Pakistan.
OBJECTIVES
(Envisioning a Bright Future for this Sector)
Empower farmers and secure the nation’s long-term food supply by optimizing the agriculture supply chain and maximizing land output.
FOCUS AREAS
(Major problems and issues for this sector that require innovation and use of technology)
In modern times, success in agriculture depends on many areas including technological innovation in agriculture that results in improving the yield of crops, eliminating farmer exploitation, and enabling farmers’ direct access to markets. Following are some key areas where innovators can add significant value:
- Climate Change – Climate change poses a serious threat to the agriculture sector for both crops and livestock with unprecedented patterns of rains, pests, and disease attacks.
- Agriculture Supply Chain – Solutions for the agriculture input supply chain to produce more from less by focusing on seeds, water, fertilizer, and others.
- Capital, Insurance, and Direct Access to Markets – Financial solutions including crop insurance to reduce uncertainty and cater for capital needs. Direct access to markets to reduce farmer exploitation.
- Farmers’ Training – Educating the farmers on how to best utilize their resources
SAMPLE IDEAS
(A list of sample ideas to get innovators started. Innovators are encouraged to explore a variety of viable solutions.)
- Marketplace for agriculture supplies and for selling crops
- Timely supply of quality seeds coupled with relevant training
- Use of IoT and other technologies for crop monitoring, water resource management, drip irrigation, etc.
- A system for cooperative agriculture and mutual insurance
