Next Biggest Problem

As we divide humanity's presence on Earth into ages for better understanding, it's clear that these ages are now shifting much more rapidly. It took humans three million years to enter the Stone Age and around 5000 years to enter the Bronze Age. Then it took only 2500 years to shift from the Bronze to the Iron Age. In the past few centuries, we've transitioned through many ages, from the Industrial to the Oil Age, and now the Age of Data. But what's next? Many people might have different answers, but for me, it could be the Age of Food.

With the population growing at an alarming rate, climate changes making cultivation more difficult, and many other problems like irrigation issues, infrastructure issues, and resource shortages, food security will be a major concern.

I usually like to study different industries and ways of doing business, but I have a special interest in the agricultural industry. Recently, I noted a major problem in Pakistan's agricultural sector. One thing I'd like to clarify: agriculture is really the backbone of Pakistan's economy, but it's more neglected than a middle child and a fully failed sector, like many other sectors in Pakistan. I know it sounds harsh, but it is what it is.

Forget about our current textile exports or our fruit production. It feels like, in the future, we will be unable to fulfill our own food needs, even though Pakistan is a fully agricultural country.

I'm here to shed light on a major problem that nobody in the government or among policymakers is discussing. Let me make it simple with some examples, but it's not what you might be thinking.

In Screenshot Number One, this image shows a fully agricultural area a few years ago, around 2010. But now in Screenshot Number Two, it's fully covered by the real estate industry. Yes, the real estate industry is a problem in itself—a problematic industry.

But this is still not the biggest issue I'm going to explain in Screenshot Number Three. The previously discussed examples were in the surroundings of a big city in Pakistan. It's understandable and expected to expand with time.

Before moving to our real problem, you need to know some important data. In Pakistan, currently, 63% of the population lives in rural areas, and most belong to agricultural families.

You should also know that the average family size in Pakistan is around eight persons. So, let’s say a person around 60 years ago owned 30 acres of land, which is enough to cultivate on a large scale. This land is now divided among eight children and then again among their children over 60 years, making it only half an acre per person, which is obviously not enough to cultivate anything on.

So now you can see Screenshot Number Three and Four with a gap of 12 to 15 years. You may notice there's not a big difference, but you are wrong. That land has been divided from 30 acres to half an acre. The previous owners were poor, illiterate, and uneducated rural persons. They had no other option than farming those lands.

But now, as the world has become more connected, most youth from Pakistan have moved abroad. Yes, you heard it right—mostly. Just for reference, when I was in high school, we had two sections. Most families depended on agriculture and farming. The total strength of the class was eight. Now, I can hardly count three to four guys living in Pakistan and pursuing education. Most have moved abroad, right after elementary or high school education.

The issue is now they have good money and can afford a better life in Pakistan. In Pakistan, we have one more issue: whenever we get a single dollar, we never invest it in our business. The first thing we do is build a house. Now they have money and half an acre of land, where they can't farm anything but can build a big, large villa to show others. Initially, this was happening on a small scale, but now it's booming.

So this is the real problem. As individuals, we now have enough money but no land to farm anything. I'd also like to inform you that Pakistan is the 5th most populous country, with an area of around 800k sq km, and only about 47% is cultivable or fertile. The rest is just mountains.

Now the thing is, the government is really supporting this culture—maybe not intentionally, but just for a few votes. The government is providing electricity connections in agricultural lands—not for agricultural purposes, but purely residential connections—gas connections (very few for now), and road construction. These things are good but are totally destroying agricultural lands.

It may sound minor, but in just a few more years, with the increasing understanding and knowledge of solar panels and generating power remotely, this culture will boom. Who wouldn't want to have a big wide house in the fields?

The government and different organizations need to look into this seriously, starting from real estate companies to small levels, which are not actually small at all. They should introduce policies for corporatizing the agricultural industry, leasing land on a large scale, and stopping people from building houses and residential structures on agricultural lands.

It may seem small, but this issue will simply increase exponentially soon. The corporate sector can see this opportunity as vital because, in the future, those who control food will control people. Just kidding, it’s about more profit.

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