National Sustainable Development Strategy : Pakistan’s pathway to a sustainable & resilient future 2012.

The National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS) aims to define sustainable development and the pathway to a “green economy”. The focus was on integrating across the three overall dimensions of economic, social, environment and the goals with the aim to reach a more sustainability. The “Green Economy” model, being currently framed globally especially in the context of Rio+202 meeting, is a response to the environmental challenge, such as: mega-natural disasters, climate change, devastating floods, droughts, big cyclones, etc. Food security is the basic need for human as well as for social and economic development of any country. The Vision 2030 carves out the national vision as “an efficient and competitive sustainable agriculture ensuring food security and with ability to contribute to economic development and poverty alleviation”. In this context, the NSDS through detailed strategic goals, highlights the need to improve the overall governance in the country and addresses the challenges of delivery of essential services such as health and education for the people and encompasses the promotion of targeted social support policies and programmes that can lead to a reduction of inequalities and improvements in food security, energy security or security against natural and other calamities and emergencies. The primary focus is on establishing a just and progressive society, as is the objective of the “Green Action Agenda” through: Alleviation of poverty and promoting equity amongst society, in particular, through providing universal coverage of basic needs, particularly, health, education and welfare and using them as engines for an equitable green economy. Extending social protection and safety nets for the poorest and most vulnerable particularly women.
The Government will aim for plugging the inefficiencies and promoting sustainable production in the agricultural sector focusing on improving the irrigation water use efficiency, optimal fertilizer use, diffusion of water conservation, improving water storage and rain water harvesting, encouraging on farm water management, Integrated Pest Management, Integrated Nutritional Management as well as on-farm crop residue and waste management. Focus on both diversification and modernization of agriculture to ensure food security through productivity increases. Both Public and private investments as well as partnerships need to strengthen the research and extension system for developing and disseminating environment friendly technologies and practices. The country’s top research bodies need to be supported to benefit from economies of scale through cooperative farming as well as for attracting investments to employ the best available technologies and maximize food productivity amongst small landholders. Encourage access to export markets through improved transport and infrastructure facilities and facilitating packaging and labeling. The concept of organic farming needs to be encouraged along with biological control of pests through IPM techniques, rational use of agrochemicals as well as promotion of indigenous and non-hybrid variety of seeds. Genetically modified seeds should only be imported, researched and promoted through a properly regulated process of approval, application and monitoring.
Strengthen science-based organizations and technology innovations in order to enhance basic agronomic research into new varieties and climate resilient crops and to reduce the high level of post-harvest losses, and employ environmentally- sound multi-cropping and crop management practices. Develop effective links with other South Asian countries to study and learn from their agricultural practices and research including for arid zone agriculture. The unregulated urbanization through encroachment of fertile agricultural land needs to be urgently controlled through targeted legislation, responsive urban land use planning and strict zoning enforcement. Soil fertility management, rehabilitation of degraded lands and desertification control would be given high priority by promoting sustainable land management in the country. Livestock production would be increased through intensive investment in research to produce high yielding breeds based on local varieties, sustainable management of range lands and disease preventive measures. Short term targeted interventions would be developed to support vulnerable groups in years of crop failure. Shift the pattern of production towards higher value-added activities particularly through horticulture, oil seed, livestock and fisheries sectors. Ensure uninterrupted and prioritized energy supply for agriculture at subsidized rates to ensure productivity increases and improve the food security in the country. Strengthening irrigation system for increasing productive land area and restoring the traditional underground.
Women play an important role in all walks of life and the Government fully realized that gender equity remains a fundamental condition for sustainable development. In line with this recognition, a number of policy documents highlight the aspect of gender mainstreaming and equality as a tool for poverty eradication and sustainable development. These include the Pakistan Poverty Reduction strategy papers PRSP (2007 and 2010) and the Medium-term development (MTDF 2005-2010) Framework as well as the Vision 2030 which demands equal rights and respect for women and ensuring their participation in all decision-making processes.