IDENTIFYING THE CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING PULSES’ PRODUCTION AND VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN: A DELPHI APPROACH

Abstract

Pulses are rich source of protein and linked to countless positive impacts on human health as well as plant health because these are the nitrogen fixing crops. Likewise, pulses centric meal are widely adopted as better source to overcome severe acute malnutrition. In Pakistan, decreasing trend in production and continuous rise in pulses prices reduced the economic access of the people particularly of people falling under poverty to pulses. Pulses are grown in the rain-fed areas in Pakistan. The unusual rainfall highly affects pulses crop and climatic conditions; therefore, farmers have a high risk of getting attractive prices consistently. Marketing of Pulses is mainly in private hands and farmers usually sell to village dealer without any value addition after harvesting.  This research is designed to identify the constraints and opportunities for enhancing pulses production and value chain development in Pakistan through employing Delphi Approach. The results revealed that lack of availability of improved varieties/good quality seeds of pulses is identified as the most critical barrier in increasing the production and cropped area under the pulses. In addition, no policy support from the government, poor marketing, and no value chain existence resulting in low prices received by the farmer   are also considered a source of the decline farmers' interest in the pulses. The findings of this study highlighted that development of pest, disease, and climate change-resistant varieties and development of competitive pulses value chains could play vital role in making Pakistan self-sufficient in the pulses. The findings identified here the important set of barriers and opportunities for the industry and policymakers. Hence these indicators should help farmers and relevant stakeholders to monitor pulses production sustainability and guide decision makers to make appropriate policies for pulses sector in Pakistan.