Forum Pakistan

Agricultural research In Pakistan
Pakistan's economy is largely based on agriculture. This sector employs almost 44 per cent of the labour force and directly or indirectly supports 70 per cent of the population. *British India was endowed with many agricultural colleges and research institutions. Of these, Pakistan inherited an Agricultural College at Faisalabad, a Veterinary College at Lahore, and three small research stations. Major research organizations remained in India.

From the outset, the Government of Pakistan considered the development of agriculture important, but regarded it as a provincial responsibility. In 1948, a Food and Agriculture Committee was set up to coordinate provincial research. This committee was later reconstituted as a full-fledged Agriculture Research Council. The government's commitment to agricultural development has continued and grown since then. Almost 35 per cent of the total budget allocated for scientific research is provided to agriculture. At present, there are 64 major research institutions, four universities, and over 200 research stations/laboratories dedicated to agriculture. Due to its importance to Pakistan's population, the government has given agricultural research high priority, and various experts and scientists have been called upon to help solve important problems.