Gender differences in use and preferences of agricultural information sources in Pakistan
This study interviewed 401 male/female individuals in farm households in Jhang and Bahawalpur district of Punjab, Pakistan in 2016.
Findings: Men and women farmers’ use and preferences in accessing information sources are extremely different. Women hardly use sources for agricultural information, and value interpersonal communication from informal sources. In contrast, men use and value official agencies more. Radio, surprisingly, was very rarely used, contradicting previous findings of research elsewhere. Age and literacy affect differences between women more than it does between men, particularly for convenient locations to access information. Practical implications The study identified and refined major gender differences regarding use and preference for agricultural information in relation to age and literacy, and helps to articulate options to improve gender equality of access to agricultural information in Pakistan.
Theoretical implications: The focus and outcomes regarding gender intersecting with age and literacy in agricultural information access imply the need for more refined socio-economic models, discerning and interrelating gender and other social dimensions beyond the standard of male-headed households.
Originality/value: This paper adds to the growing body of evidence on information access according to gender, highlighting the need to investigate deeper socio-cultural issues around age and literacy.
- Published in PAKISTAN
Pakistan | 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan
The food security situation in Pakistan has significantly worsened, mainly due to drought, floods, desert locust and conflict, which have triggered population displacements and reduced agricultural production.The number of people in need of food security and livelihoods assistance is projected to increase to over 6.1 million people in June 2021, making it critical to provide integrated agricultural support to vulnerable people devastated by multiple shocks.
- Published in PAKISTAN
Dysfunctional Horticulture Value Chains and the Need for Modern Marketing Infrastructure: The Case of Pakistan
This brief presents findings on agricultural wholesale markets in Pakistan and provides recommendations to help develop more efficient production and marketing systems.
The brief provides an overview of Pakistan’s agriculture sector and horticulture value chain, and of four agricultural wholesale markets in Lahore. It proposes ways of improving the management, maintenance, and accessibility of markets, and making the value chain more efficient.
- Published in PAKISTAN
Impact of COVID-19 and Locust Swarms on Farm Households in Sindh, Pakistan: Analysis of Data from a Cross-Sectional Survey
This brief identifies measures to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and locust infestation on farm households and the agriculture sector based on findings from a survey in Sindh, Pakistan.
An ADB survey conducted in June 2020 found that the lockdown due to COVID-19 significantly disrupted food supply chains across all major agricultural products in Sindh. Furthermore, severe locust invasions have been observed, with 73.7% of respondents having seen locust swarms in their area. The survey findings outline policy measures that can help farmers cope and adapt to the long-term consequences of the pandemic and locust swarms that affect farm households and agricultural produce.
National agrifood systems and COVID-19 in Pakistan
This report describes: (i) policy measures enacted by the Government of Pakistan to contain the spread of the virus; (ii) policies and measures to stabilize the functioning of agri-food systems; (iii) potential effects of policies on agri-food systems and vulnerable groups. Finally, the profile also assesses longer-term options for agri-food system policies and investments in Pakistan so as to make them more resilient.
2019 Forestry sector review: Pakistan
Pakistan is a federation of four provinces; Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab and Sindh. The country has three special areas i.e. Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA)1, Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). Pakistan is a forest poor country with a small area of 4.478 million ha (5.1 percent) under forests. This amounts to 0.021 ha per person, compared to the world average of 1 ha/person. The contribution of the forestry sector to the GNP and GDP as per official estimates seems quite insignificant, primarily due to the fact that a multitude of non-timber forest products (NTFP) and non-tangible environmental and ecological benefits of the forests are not taken into account. This review provides estimates of the total extent of forestry resources and identifies opportunities and hotspots while providing key recommendations for realizing a future sustainable forest system in Pakistan.Appropriate mechanisms and a well-defined strategy are required to address the numerous issues involved in sustainable forest management. The Review also highlights the involvement and contributions of local communities as an essential element for natural resource management and biodiversity conservation.
Statistical Capacity Country Profile for SDG Indicators (Pakistan)
The Office of the Chief Statistician (OCS) conducted the Statistical Capacity Assessment for the FAO-relevant SDG indicators in early 2019 to provide insights about member countries’ national statistical systems in regard to their capacity to monitor and report the 21 SDG indicators under FAO custodianship. The survey collected information on the national coordination mechanisms for the SDG reporting, current data availability and plans for filling data gaps, and needs for technical assistance. The respondents were mainly the National Coordinators for SDG Monitoring or the SDG focal points nominated by the Directors General of National Statistics Offices. The results will assist FAO-HQ and decentralized offices in designing targeted interventions and mobilizing resources to support countries in collecting, analyzing and using the SDG indicators in decision-making.
Mountain agriculture: Opportunities for harnessing Zero Hunger in Asia
Mountain food security and nutrition are core issues that can contribute positively to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals but paradoxically are often ignored in Zero Hunger and poverty reduction-related agenda. Under the overall leadership of José Graziano da Silva, the Former Director-General of FAO, sustainable mountain agriculture development is set as a priority in Asia and the Pacific, to effectively address this issue and assist Member Countries in tackling food insecurity and malnutrition in mountain regions.
This comprehensive publication is the first of its kind that focuses on the multidimensional status, challenges, opportunities and solutions of sustainable mountain agriculture development for Zero Hunger in Asia. This publication is building on the ‘International Workshop and Regional Expert Consultation on Mountain Agriculture Development and Food Security and Nutrition Governance’, held by FAO RAP and UIR in November 2018 Beijing, in collaboration with partners from national governments, national agriculture institutes, universities, international organizations and international research institutes.
Strengthening Agricultural Extension Training in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka and Nepal)
The study undertaken in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal assessed eight process skills and core competencies-program planning, program implementation, communication and public relations, information and communication technologies (ICTs), program evaluation, personal and professional development, diversity and gender, and technical subject matter expertise. These were assessed on “How important are these competencies?” and “How well does the UG extension curriculum address these process skills and competencies?” on a 1 to 5 scale. The perceptions of agricultural extension professionals on appropriate ways to acquire core competencies and major barriers to effective implementation of extension curriculum were also obtained. A total of 628 respondents completed the online survey. In addition, 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in India and Sri Lanka, and the participants included 153 research scholars and 95 extension faculty members / field functionaries. The key FGD questions were related to perceptions of local agricultural extension contexts, critical job skills and core competencies required of extension workers, their coverage in the current UG curriculum, and the barriers to effectively training extension workers.
Legal report on the ecosystem approach to fisheries in Maldives
Legislating for an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) is complex, due to the holistic nature of EAF involving multiple factors that underpin the social, economic, environmental, and institutional aspects of fisheries sustainability. These factors include ecosystems integration, risks, inter-sectoral collaboration, research, participatory processes, monitoring, control, surveillance, and enforcement, among others. To assess how the EAF is being implemented through national policy and legal frameworks, FAO developed A diagnostic tool for implementing an ecosystem approach to fisheries through national policy and legal frameworks. The present legal report on the EAF used the diagnostic tool to assess the alignment of selected policy and legal instruments of Maldives with the EAF. This assessment analysed the extent to which 82 EAF legal requirements, which are considered the minimum standards in legislating for the EAF, are reflected in Maldives’ policies and legislation relevant to the fisheries sector of the country and other relevant sectors (such as environment, wildlife, ecosystems, and maritime affairs). Based on this preliminary diagnosis, gaps were identified in the assessed instruments, and recommendations were made for improving the implementation of the EAF.
This report was elaborated following a participatory approach with the involvement of the national competent authorities of Seychelles. The report was drafted and submitted to the national authorities of Maldives in October 2021. The Fisheries Management Section, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, endorsed this EAF Legal Report in January 2023