The report is much needed and timely, as the food systems are changing rapidly due to technological advancement, changing farm sizes, youth aspirations etc. In many developing countries including Pakistan disguised unemployment in the farming sector is reported. Similarly, mobility between places, sectors and income sources is not reported appropriately. There is always undue time lags in transfer of resources to youth from elderly. Sometimes, they get access to resources after the demise of their parents. As in eastern culture, parents hesitate to transfer production resources due to the joint family system. Youth can play a major role in the food utilization aspect through active participation in practicing food hygiene and sanitation. This aspect of their potential role in the era of technological innovation and better access to knowledge needs to be emphasized in the report. Labour in farming in general and youth in specific are vulnerable to health risks due to injudicious use of agro-chemicals in farming and processing industries.
One aspect which requires to be emphasized in the report is educational programs to encourage youth to opt for farming. In school educational programs, including nursery raising and hands on training in school gardens should be proposed for rural and peri-urban areas. Similarly, at middle and high school levels, basic livestock husbandry, crop and seed production should be included in the curriculum. In urban areas, vegetable and fruit production for kitchen/ rooftop gardening along with preliminary education in processing and packaging of agricultural produce should be taught. This would help in capacity building of youth and incline them to adopt farming as livelihood.
Best Regards
Abid Hussain (PhD)
(Principal Scientific Officer)
PARC-National Agricultural Research Center,
Park Road, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Abid Hussain