AGRICULTURE POLICY KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

A Ten Year Perspective

(2013-2023)

Introduction

The need for a new policy 

The agriculture sector, including crops, livestock, on-farm water management and fisheries, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has not performed in line with its potential and there is an urgent need to accelerate growth of agriculture sector as a prerequisite for improving rural incomes and food security. During discussions between the Secretary Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives and FAO Representative in July 2012, it became clear that a new policy was needed in view of the many changes in the sector particularly the increased participation of the private sector and NGOs in agriculture, as well as the devolution of additional responsibilities for the agriculture sector under the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would also be the first province to prepare a new agriculture policy following devolution and the experience gained form this process would be useful for enhancing policy coordination at provincial level.

Initial meetings resulted in an agreement that the new agriculture policy and strategy would include a review of previous reports and policies; a vision, goal and longer term policy directions related to the public, private and NGO/CSO sectors, capacity development and use of land and water resources; a set of specific high priority actions for implementation in the short term; and business plans with well-defined implementation arrangements. The new policy would build on existing policy documents, particularly the “Agricultural Policy, NWFP 2005”, the “Horticultural Policy, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, 2009”, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Comprehensive Development Strategy 2010, and the ongoing preparatory work on a new policy for the livestock sector.

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Approaches and process followed in formulating the policy 

Work on preparation of the agriculture policy and strategy was initiated shortly after the request for assistance was made to the FAO by provincial Agriculture secretariat in 2012.The work was done in a highly participative manner. In the first phase departmental experts shared information on their mandate, funding, human resources and implementation status of projects and programs. Concurrently work was started on identification of high potential commodities and detailed plans for value chain development were initiated based on the information collected through questionnaires from concerned institutional/departmental heads of all districts. A planning and prioritization workshop was held in Peshawar on 28 July 2012 to draw together the outcome of district level priority setting process. The workshop, which included representatives from Agriculture and Livestock Departments from the provincial and districts levels, the Agriculture University Peshawar and the Chamber of Commerce, resulted in a strong consensus on the need to develop business plans on priority commodity areas with specific targets and strategies.

In late August2012 consultations were also undertaken with senior officials of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department of Agriculture2, NGOs/CSOs and farmers. A preliminary draft of the policy was discussed with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government at a meeting in Islamabad on 12th September and the overall policy and strategic directions were endorsed workshop with a wide group of stakeholders was held on October 3, 2012 to validate the draft policy circulated among the key stakeholders starting from Chief Secretary, departmental heads, civil society representatives, farmers along with international agencies representatives. The policy document was endorsed with a number of observations and suggestions that are further incorporated. Subsequently, working groups were set up to prepare detailed action plans and costs estimates for the activities set out in Chapter 5 of the policy. 

Agriculture and Food Security Policy

Introduction

The Government resolves to achieve value added growth in the agriculture sector for both domestic and export markets. An essential part of this programme is to achieve food security and to raise overall rates of economic growth for the benefit of all sections of the society. Raising the growth rate of agriculture which contributes 21.4 percent to GDP and employs 45 percent of the labour force, is a key element to achieve this goal. According to the former Planning Commission (now the Ministry of Planning and Development), the agriculture sector needs to grow at 5 percent for reducing poverty and reaching the growth targets of 7-8 percent for the national economy of Pakistan. Higher growth rates will come mainly from middle to larger farmers who have the investment and risk bearing capacity to diversify and innovate. However, pattern of agriculture growth also needs to take account of the needs of the rural poor including small farmers, nomadic and transhumant and the landless. These groups, which have often been ignored in the past, can also make a significant contribution to growth and to overall improved living conditions in rural areas. In addition, these growth enhancing and poverty reduction polices need to be accompanied by well targeted polices that ensure food and nutrition security for all.

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Agriculture Policy in Pakistan – what it is and what it should be

by Sohail Jehangir Malik PhD

Chairman Innovative Development Strategies (Pvt.) Ltd

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