Farmers' group in Pakistan urges army to address country's food, fertiliser crises

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 3 : A farmers' group in Pakistan has urged the army to work with them to address the country's food and fertiliser crises, Pakistan-based Dawn newspaper reported.
In a statement, Pakistan Kissan Ittehad president Khalid Khokhar said that the Pakistan Army, like the armies of China, Korea, and Israel, should play a role in reviving the agriculture sector by bringing uncultivated lands under crop and livestock production.
Referring to the army's role in assisting communities in Balochistan, particularly the Mirani Dam Command area development, he stated that the army had remained involved in relief activities during natural calamities such as floods, earthquakes, and locust control, as well as canal desilting, according to Dawn.
He suggested that the forces take a more proactive role.
Red Lantern Analytica recently held a webinar titled 'Pakistan's Food Crisis: Reason, Consequences and Way Forward'. Marium Kamal, Assistant Professor CSAS, University of Punjab, Pakistan was the webinar's expert speaker.
Speaking at the webinar, Dr Marium Kamal said that she conducted a small survey with her students in different parts of Pakistan about food availability, and its findings revealed that food is available but prices are out of control. She called inflation a main issue in Pakistan.
Speaking on the food security issues in Pakistan, Dr Marium Kamal spoke on external and internal factors, according to the press release. According to her, the external factors that are affecting Pakistan's food security are: the world has still not completely recovered from the post-pandemic situation, Russia-Ukraine tensions disrupted food supply chains and climate change impacts which Pakistan is facing like floods, heat waves, and drought from season to season.