Agriculture, Seed Industry and Post Pandemic Era

Author(s) : Dennis Thompson

Abstract:

Collectively we experience an unprecedented time in the history of humanity. This is true not only of the agricultural seed sector of Pakistan but of the world’s agricultural economies. The culprit being Coronavirus, oft dubbed as Covid-19. A culprit of pandemic proportion. What might be the ultimate impact on Pakistan’s seed sector? On the global agricultural economy? I share my personal musings. I do not claim to be clairvoyant but rather to simply raise questions of import related to various possible impacts that might emanate from the pandemic. Granted, I am not a Pakistani nor do I live in the nation. However, I am an observer having established ties to agricultural development efforts in the country. Those ties span and are intertwined with academic, industry and governmental initiatives and realities since 1992. My interests have been somewhat hybridized over the years to address issues within the context of agricultural extension and seed industry development. Issues and impacts, classified as being either near-term or long-term, will be explored. First, let us address the seed itself. The following thoughts address the seed industry. Last thoughts focus on the broader industry of agriculture. My reference points being observations across the US Midwest (corn and soybean production regions) and information gleaned from and about Pakistan.