Soil Salinity, Small-Scale Agriculture, and Problems of Sustainable Agriculture in Pakistan

摘要

Salinity is widely perceived as having severe effects on farmers and farm households in Pakistan. However, to date there is little direct evidence on how salinity specifically affects farm operations and the patterns of agricultural activity, and how farmers and their families seek to overcome the effects of salinity. This study aims to develop an understanding of the impacts of soil salinity on the responses of farm households to salinity. Correlation analysis was used to determine whether farmers responded to soil salinity in identifiable patterns of socioeconomic activity and behaviour. Throughout these analyses, it was assumed that salinity was the primary force driving the farming systems. Soil salinity was found to pose real constraints to agricultural productivity and the economic livelihoods of Pakistani farmer households. With few notable exceptions, no discernible patterns in responses to soil salinity have emerged aside from the increased use of female household members in agricultural activities on top of their other domestic chores. Furthermore, aside from the more traditional and costly methods for dealing with the problem, no new technologies to combat soil salinity have been widely disseminated due to socioeconomic limitations of most farmers and the general lack of awareness. Yet, the data indicate that in order to increase agricultural productivity, especially through measures that are economically and environmentally sustainable, alternative technologies will be required such as trees and shrubs to lower the water table, salt resistant strains of edible food crops, and more effective utilisation of irrigation to prevent waterlogging. The data also indicate the need for in-depth analysis of the household division of labour to fully understand the impacts of soil salinity and means to ameliorate it. Failing to do this, one can only expect the agricultural situation in Pakistan to further deteriorate in the coming years and the household division of labour more unequitable.