Global Rice News

Digital Farming: Empowering Agricultural Growth in Pakistan

In the era of digitalization, transforming the global agricultural landscape, it is crucial for developing economies like Pakistan to embrace digital farming to sustain agricultural growth. While the agricultural sector in Pakistan contributes 24 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides 37.4 percent employment opportunities, many farmers in the country are still unaware of the latest farming techniques. The Economic Survey 2023-24 revealed that Pakistan produced 31.4 million tons of wheat, 9.9 million tons of rice, 9.8 million tons of maize, 87.6 million tons of sugarcane, 10.223 million bales of cotton, and 2,090 tons of mango. To fully harness the potential of the country’s arable land and water resources, digital farming is imperative.

Despite the government’s comprehensive National Action Plan for agriculture modernization, which focuses on capacity building and the introduction of agrarian technology extension, many farmers, especially small growers, are hesitant to adopt modern technologies. The cost of adoption, limited access to technology, and lack of awareness are key barriers preventing farmers from embracing digital farming. However, there are numerous benefits that can be achieved by adopting digital farming practices, including enhanced agricultural growth and reduced financial burdens for small growers. “If farmers adopt precision agriculture, digitalization of farm data, and value addition, it can help revitalize agricultural growth with minimum input cost, mitigating the financial impact on small growers,” stated a spokesperson for the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI). A simple example is the importation of potato chips, despite having a surplus of potato production in the country.

While many nations around the world have embraced digitalization and are now rapidly adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their agricultural sectors, Pakistan still relies on manual and outdated farming techniques. According to Dr. Saqib Ali, an Associate Professor at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), only a small percentage of progressive farmers, around 10 to 15 percent, are utilizing the latest techniques and technologies, resulting in higher yields compared to other farmers. Dr. Saqib emphasized three key factors for achieving bumper crop yields: high-quality disease-resistant seeds, the use of the latest technology, and efficient management of plantation, irrigation water, and fertilizers. Digital technology plays a crucial role in this process, enabling farmers to optimize their planting techniques, evaluate seed germination on a daily basis, and implement modern irrigation techniques like drip irrigation, which saves water and reduces production costs.

Furthermore, the adoption of digital farming practices can also provide policymakers with real-time data on supply and demand trends in the local and international markets, as well as the evolving dynamics of the farming sector. Dr. Saqib highlighted that digitization can help reduce unnecessary crop wastage and enable farmers to enhance their production by 10 percent through the application of pre and post-harvesting modern techniques. Traditional practices such as pest scouting can be replaced with the installation of cameras to monitor crops continuously, enabling farmers to identify pest activity promptly and control diseases efficiently, minimizing costs and crop losses.

Dr. Khurram Tariq, President of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), emphasized the importance of digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various sectors, including agriculture, for a better future for Pakistan. The FCCI has already initiated the “Cyberabad” project, aiming to transform Faisalabad into a hi-tech city through the adoption of modern techniques, including AI, in different areas of the economy, including agriculture.

By embracing digital farming, Pakistan can unlock its agricultural potential, increase productivity, reduce costs, and ensure sustainable growth in the sector. To learn more about the rice industry in Pakistan, visit [Has Rice](https://www.hasrice.com) and [Pakistan Rice](https://www.pakistanrice.com).

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