Policy missteps batter Pakistan's farm sector

Pakistan’s agriculture sector, long considered the backbone of the national economy, faced one of its most turbulent years in 2025 as climate shocks and policy missteps converged to deepen an already fragile situation.

- AGENCIES

Farmers, sugarcane and rice growers in upper Sindh face delayed irrigation networks and water shortage. Representative image

Contributing nearly a quarter of the country’s GDP and employing over a third of the population, agriculture’s decline has raised fresh alarms about food security and rural livelihoods, as reported by The Express Tribune.

According to The Express Tribune, the situation was particularly difficult in Punjab, which produces nearly 70 per cent of Pakistan’s food grains. Erratic weather, rising input costs and inconsistent government policies severely disrupted farm activity.