All kinds of crops are grown in the district of Jhall Magsi. The district has fine cultivable land and all types of water resources, including flood, rain and perennial water. During Rabi season wheat, barley, rape seed, mustard, vegetables and fodder are sown. During the Kharif season twenty-two different crops are cultivated, including rice, jowar, sesame, moong, fruits, like citrus, mangoes, guavas and dates, onions, vegetables, like tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower and radish, chillies, fodder and coriander. However, jowar is the common Kharif crop, while wheat and mustard are common Rabi crops.

Crop cultivation is mainly a male activity. Women provide needed help like bringing meals to the fields. At the time of cropping, women work with men in the fields, especially in the wheat season, which is called Lab in local language. Wages are paid in the form of some quantity of grain, but most of the women’s labour remains unpaid.

Jhall Magsi has irrigated and un-irrigated agricultural land. Irrigated land is irrigated from all type of water resources. The western part of the district is mostly irrigated from permanent sources of water, while the eastern part is irrigated from flood and rain waters. The main reason for land not being cultivated, is the non-availability of water for irrigation purposes. There are not enough water reservoirs or dams, where flood water can be stored for irrigation in all seasons. According to district sources only 5 percent of the land is water logged and/or saline and 2 percent is culturable waste, while according to the Agricultural Statistics 1994-95 over 28 percent of the two districts Bolan and Jhall Magsi together is culturable waste. This situation indicates that a large percentage of land available for irrigation is not irrigated.

The district Jhall Magsi is a settled area since the 1960s. Every inch of the land is owned by individuals or by the government. Different parts of the district belong to different tribes. Magsi tribe occupies the land in the south of the district. The Lasharies have land in the west of Gandawah and the Jamoots occupy Mirpur sub-tehsil. This land is not the common property of the tribe as a whole. Rather it is the property of the individuals from within the different tribes. Records are kept in the district’s Revenue Department. Every owner has a copy of ownership of his land called Khatooni. Tenancy is not very common, but it is practised.

The land is cultivated according to the quantity of water in case water is permanently available. In case of rains and flood water the area of land cultivated varies from year to year.

Gathering of agricultural statistics in Balochistan is uniformly done. Agricultural statistics are gathered primarily by a Field Assistant, who is a lowest level technical employee of the Agriculture Department. He is posted in every union council and is responsible for the collection of agriculture statistics of the respective union council. The Agriculture Officer presents the data to the next officer called the Extra Assistant Director of Agriculture (EADA), who forwards it to the statistics wing of the Agriculture Department. The data is put together in one document called the Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan. The Irrigation Department also collects data regarding agriculture. Similarly, the patwari, the lowest revenue worker of a tehsil, also surveys the different crops for the purpose of levying tax called Ushar. But the figures collected by the different sources mentioned above for the same area are different.

Wheat is the major agriculture product of the district Jhall Magsi. It is cultivated on 24% percent of the cultivated area. Mostly it is cultivated in the areas which have a permanent source of water, like Gandawah, Jhall Magsi, Kot Magsi, Kootra, Pachh, Sargani and Puanjok. Sometimes it is also cultivated in Khoshkaba, if flood water comes in the cultivating season. The average yield per hectare in Jhall Magsi district is not at par with other wheat producing areas. The basic reason for this is the lack of awareness among the farmers of modern farming methods.

Other important crops are oil seeds, which are basically cash crops. These oil seeds include rape seed, mustard, cumin and sesame. They are sown, mostly in the Khasba, on 23 percent of the cultivated area. Fodder is cultivated in 2.7 percent of the area available for cultivation. Farmers have no adequate knowledge of modern cropping, the crops’ value and the care essential for different crops. Therefore, sometimes one feels that these farmers are wasting their time and energy on useless or less productive agricultural commodities. One can suggest that the Agricultural Department and other concerned quarters must take note of this situation.

The time series data on average yield and total production show an inconsistent trend. It indicates that the total area under cultivation has increased, but that the production in tons decreased. A variety of factors may account for this, like season of sowing, required quantity of water and effects of diseases. For instance, wheat, the main crop of Jhall Magsi district, shows an increase in land under cultivation of 10 percent in 1994 and 5 percent in 1995. The wheat yield per hectare increased with 9.2 percent in 1994 and decreased with 3.8 percent in 1995. In case of oil seeds, there was a 3.6 percent increase in land under cultivation in 1994 and a 3.5 percent increase in 1995. Oil seeds yield per hectare increased with 0 percent in 1994 and 30 percent in 1995.

In Jhall Magsi district, men are the visible workers. Female participation in agriculture is indirect and limited to extending a helping hand. Wheat for example is cultivated by men, but at the time of harvesting the whole family helps on the field. Women also participate in the cleaning of food grains. The above applies to all other crops too. The method and techniques for cultivation, processing etc. are changing. E.g. instead of traditional ploughing methods, nowadays tractors are being used. The use of threshers is also increasing. In case machines are used, the rent is paid per hour. Tenancy contracts are not used frequently. Sometimes a fixed quantity of grain is paid as a reward for labour.

According to the agricultural statistics of 1994-95, the major source of irrigation in Jhall Magsi district is canal water. The water is coming from different sources, the major one being Panj Monh. Sukliji, Pir Chattal and different streams ultimately gather in one stream, which irrigates Jhall Magsi. In addition, Kot Magsi land is irrigated by the Mir Saifullah Magsi canal.

Other significant sources are wells, tube wells, flood and rain water. Tube wells are operated by diesel engines. According to the Agricultural Statistics 1994-1995 there are 45 private tube wells operational within the district. Water from open wells is taken out for irrigation with the help of bullocks on a Persian wheel, though the use of this system is declining. A vast percentage of the land is khushkaba or silaba. This type of land is irrigated by flood and rain water. The total area of sub-tehsil Mirpur exists of khushkaba and silaba. Similarly, the eastern part of Gandawah and Jhall Magsi town are silaba and khushkaba. Estimates of agricultural output under various types of irrigation are not available. Regulation of water resources is on an hourly basis. Every owner has fixed water rights and gets his share according to his ownership. Nearly the whole area of the district is surveyed and settled.

In the far western belt, adjacent to Kirthar mountain range, the level of underground water is high and water is available in large quantities. The water table is 1.2-1.5 m. This water is hardly used for agriculture purposes, due to the high price of diesel. Similarly, electricity is not provided to the area, therefore, tube wells cannot be operated on electricity. Thus, this source of water is not being used.

The Irrigation Department has completed 2-3 schemes, including Sukleji sachems. At district level, the head of the Irrigation Department is not posted in Jhall Magsi. The Xen Bolan is controlling both Jhall Magsi district and Bolan district.

Source: Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan, 1994-1995

The trend of using agricultural machinery in the district is certainly increasing. Farmers are frequently using tractors and thrashers. In comparison to thrashers, tractors are used many times more. The tractor is being used for many purposes, including ploughing, moving grain from the field to the house and the market. These tractors are privately owned and hired by the farmers. Sometimes tractors enter into the district from adjacent districts and Sindh, when there is a huge need.

As far as the use of agricultural machinery by the government is concerned, the situation, according to the local people, looks depressing. Bulldozers which are provided by the government for the purpose of agricultural help, are not being used for the required purposes. Rather, working hours of the dozers are divided among the notables of the area who sell them to the needy. Though one of the largest seed farms is present in the district, according to the local people it does not provide the required and expected help.

According to the agriculture statistics of Balochistan 1994-95, 552 tons of chemicals of all kinds were used in the district. Certainly for the whole district, this is a very small amount. Actually chemicals are used only in the area which is cultivated under permanent source of water. Chemicals are not used in flood and rain irrigated areas (Khushkaba & Silaba). Because they get water only once. A high percentage of chemicals is used in wheat cultivation, followed by the horticulture sector. The farmers get these chemicals on payment from the stores of the Agricultural Department. As far as the location of different crop diseases and saving the crops from these diseases is concerned, the efforts of the concerned quarters are totally inadequate.

The farmers are not educated enough to know the value of different commodities and to know their markets. Cultivation in the district Jhall Magsi is completely based on tradition. Because the area in the recent past had no easy access to markets, movement of different goods is limited within the district. Wheat produced by the district is sufficient for the needs of the district. Sometimes its exportation from the district is banned by the district administration. However, Jowar and different oil seeds, which are considered to be cash crops, are exported to the nearest markets in Jacobabad, Shahdadkot and Sukkur. As far as vegetables and horticultural produce are concerned, they are produced in limited quantity and are consumed locally only. In 1994/95 season the total production of vegetables was 1,480 tonnes. Except onions, which are exported, all vegetables are used locally. These commodities are brought from smaller villages to the bigger villages and towns like Gandawah, Jhall Magsi, Kot Magsi, Kootra etc. These products are bought by the owners of vegetable shops without interference of middlemen. Some time vegetables are transported from Jacobabad (Sindh). Though the district has potential to produce vegetables in large quantities, due to non-availability of resources and ignorance of farmers about the market value of vegetables, they are not produced very much.

PASCO and similar agencies are not active in the district Jhall Magsi. The district produces different grains and crops which just meet the local needs. Prices, especially the price of wheat, are different at the sowing and the cropping time. Usually its selling price is lower than the price fixed by the government. The farmers get seeds at higher prices then the selling price, because the market is small and controlled by the traders, who usually exploit the situation. Market rates are not fixed and fluctuate according to the good or bad condition of the different crops, especially in the case of oil seeds. Sometimes, needy farmers sell their grain two to three months before cropping time for much lower prices to the commodity traders.

Agricultural produce is mostly used within the district. Therefore, agriculture is not a sound source of additional income. Bread made of wheat is used at all three meals of the day. Hence, only a small quantity of wheat remains available for farmers to sell in the market. The yield of oil seeds, which are cash crops, is not dependable. If one year production of oil seeds is better, the financial condition of the farmer improves. Whatever the case may be, the farmers in the district only meet their basic needs with their income from agriculture. The agricultural income per capita is below the average of Balochistan.

The Extension Section of Department of Agriculture is providing assistance to farmers by dissemination of technical know-how and required information regarding agriculture and horticulture. The district also has a seed farm, which is just two km from Gandawah, introducing new varieties of seeds for different crops after research. Gandawah has one of the biggest seed farms of the province. The farm has a separate water course (Wahi) coming from Pung Monh, the main water distribution of Moola river. However, after visiting the area and analysing agriculture produce in the district, one feels that there is a lack of contact and co-ordination between the Department of Agriculture Extension and the farmers. A Deputy Director level agriculture officer of agriculture department is in charge of this farm.

Besides the individual farmers, nearly only the Government of Balochistan is involved in agricultural development. The role of the private sector in agricultural activities is limited to marketing, price setting and agricultural mechanisation.

Endeavours relating to agriculture and horticulture in the district of Jhall Magsi cannot be considered satisfactory, though the district has great potential. All required components, like water resources, cultivable land and human resources are present. However, the ideal location of the district for agriculture and horticulture is not well exploited. On the one hand technical know-how is not provided to the farmers and on the other hand wanted support is not extended. Furthermore, due to the lack of road links and access to markets, farmers do not get an attractive price for the crops they grow. Above mentioned conditions create difficulties for the development of agriculture and horticulture in the district, which influences the basic source of income and livelihood for the district’s inhabitants.

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