Page 45 - CMA Journal (Mar-Apr 2026)

insecurity in the short run due to ve major causes. The crops o Drone Crop Protection: Using drone technology
sector is innately vulnerable, being stapled to the necessity to protect the crops from locusts, pests, and
of life of a common man. Data from 2023 shows that wheat crawling and ying insects.
and pulses always remain at the brink of shortage. Pakistan o Genetic Engineering: Using this technology to
tends to import a small quantity of wheat when the develop crops that are more resistant to extreme
combined effect of ve causative factors does not favour climate change, drought, famine, oods and short-
wheat production. Pakistan permanently imports term water shortage.
vegetables, pulses and edible oilseeds due to production
o AI-Driven Agriculture: Arti cial Intelligence
falling far short of annual demand.
technology is used to analyse the big data to predict the
yield per acre, water requirement, disease control and
planning for crops timing and quantifying the nal
produce.
o Smart Real-Time Monitoring: Sending the farmer's
smartphone real-time data regarding soil moisture,
humidity, temperature and weather and climate
change.
o Socioeconomic Uplift: Food security also requires that
inhabitants can afford to purchase food.
Socioeconomic status comprises four variables:
income, education, health and dwelling. All four
Both wheat production and population are increasing at variables depend upon the income of the individual.
almost the same pace. The only way forward is to extend the Different earning opportunities should be provided to
cultivated land area, as productivity is a limiting factor that people to increase the income of individuals to enable
cannot be stretched beyond a certain limit. them to purchase food.

Strategy to Ensure Food Security in Pakistan 2) Provincial Strategies
SINDH
Wheat production is a major focus, along with other
Sindh has its own dynamics for low agriculture
important crops, to ensure food security in Pakistan for 250
million people. The different strategies are suggested for productivity. Here are a few measures for improvement
rather than listing the reasons thereof.
different regions but here are some strategies that are
suitable for all regions: o Sprinkler and Drip Irrigation: Use sprinkler and
drip irrigation in the Thar desert and also replace
I) National Strategies
conventional ood irrigation with sprinkler
The following suggestions are applicable in all regions of irrigation to conserve canal water ow.
Pakistan.
o Salinity and Waterlogging Control: The solution
o Topographic Mapping: The process to collect the is either to control this twin problem or to cultivate
physical, natural and arti cial data (rivers, hilly area, salt-resistant crops. This twin problem persists in
plains, deserts, upper crest of land, slopes, water vast area of Sindh region that demands a
features and forests) to assess the water availability, permanent solution to eliminate waterlogging and
agriculture potential and climatic effects. salinity.

ICMA’s Chartered Management Accountant, Mar-Apr 2026 43