Arshad Ali
ISLAMABAD: Agriculture sector is the backbone of Pakistan; however, the construction of housing societies on agricultural land is causing multiple problems in Pakistan, including various health issues, climate change, food shortage, and pollution.
Cutting off orchards to pave the way for the construction of housing societies destroyed the agriculture sector and negatively impacted the country’s ecology and beauty.
Mango orchards were considered a distinct identity of the Multan district. However, mango orchards have been abolished from a vast land in south Punjab to pave the way for the construction of a housing society.
Pakistan Agriculture Sector Facing Several Challenges
The sorry tale is not limited to the mango orchards as other fruits, crops, and green areas throughout Pakistan were also cut for the same purpose.
Agriculture is the mainstay of Pakistan’s economy; however, the Agri sector faces several issues. The construction of residential societies on agricultural land is causing food insecurity and food shortage in the country.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, the menace has become one of the major issues. The whole world is paying serious attention to food security, especially after the Covid-19 epidemic and the war between Russia and Ukraine.
70% of Pakistan’s Population is Associated with Agriculture Sector
About 70% of the country’s population living in rural areas is indirectly or directly associated with the agriculture sector. The shrinking of agricultural land is worsening the food crises and depriving a huge segment of the population of employment as they are making their living from the agriculture sector.
Around 35 million laborers are working in the fields, and agriculture is their main source of income. The construction of residential societies is causing unemployment for this huge segment of the country’s population. The majority of the housing societies are being constructed on fertile land adjacent to cities and towns in the country.
Pakistan is already facing issues of low productivity in the agriculture sector. The average agriculture production in Pakistan is less compared to its neighboring countries’ productivity, although there is a similar climate.
Housing Societies Damaging Agriculture Sector
Progressive farmers believe that the increasing trend of constructing housing societies on agricultural lands is causing huge damage to the already crippled agriculture sector of the country.
Climate activists have asked the government to stop issuing NOCs to private developers to construct housing societies. They said that the relevant government bodies should be tasked with establishing new towns, cities, and housing units after conducting a thorough feasibility study including an environmental assessment and social and ecological cost.”
