When Farmers Meet Startups: How Youth Innovation is Shaping Sustainable Agritech in Punjab  

By: Syed Fareed Mohyuddin

Last August, on a warm morning in a village in Sahiwal district, I joined two young farmers setting up a small soil testing kiosk under a neem tree in a field. Within minutes, a few neighboring farmers gathered. Some wanted to know about fertilizer mixes, while others were interested in irrigation timing. Just a couple of them asked about algorithms and data platforms. They were more curious about what would help them bring home a better harvest and pay off debts. Watching these exchanges reminded me of a simple truth. Technology matters only when it solves a neighbor’s problem and when that neighbor is willing to vouch for it.

Agriculture remains the backbone of Pakistan’s economy. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the sector contributes 24 percent of the national GDP and provides direct or indirect employment to half of the country’s labor force. Punjab ranks highest in GDP per capita amongst Pakistan’s provinces and is responsible for roughly 60 percent of the country’s agricultural output. This makes the land of five rivers a natural testing ground for new farming technologies. The province’s fertile plains and dense rural networks mean that innovations introduced here can quickly ripple across the country.

Agritech in Punjab is still nascent, but it is spreading fast through government and private programs. According to Agriculture Extension in South Asia (AESA), the Punjab Government’s AgriSmart soil testing initiative has already logged over 2.2 million entries through more than 2,700 field agents. The provincial Kissan Card scheme, a digital subsidy and credit program, now covers dozens of districts and serves over a million farmers. These numbers are impressive, but the story is uneven. Uptake tends to cluster in certain districts and among certain kinds of farmers.

Early adopters are often younger, more educated, and better connected. Many own mid to large landholdings or have additional income that lets them take risks. In Sargodha, a study of 200 farmers found a strong link between using advanced agricultural technologies and earning higher incomes. These findings have been published in the International Journal of Advanced Social Studies and corroborate what I have observed firsthand. In rural communities, change is contagious and spreads through trust. A farmer is more likely to adopt a new technology when someone from their social circle vouches for its benefits.

This is where youth-led startups matter. They act as translators between cutting-edge tools and local realities. Two years ago, I co-founded Skynok, an agritech startup that used drones for precision spraying and crop health analysis to help farmers boost yields and conserve resources. The venture allowed me an in-depth examination of the growing agritech ecosystem in Punjab and across Pakistan. I witnessed entrepreneurs swap text alerts for recorded voice messages in Punjabi so older farmers could follow advice. Soil sensors and seed planters were bundled with flexible payment plans so poorer farmers could trial them. These adjustments may seem small, but they determine whether a technology is ignored or becomes part of routine practice.

Sustainability is a buzzword in boardrooms, but in the field, it is more grounded. For farmers, it can mean steady yields, lower costs, and water conservation. For startups, it might translate to reducing chemical use through precision dosing or improving irrigation efficiency with drip systems. The challenge is aligning these perspectives. At the same time, automation and mechanisation can adversely impact traditional labour arrangements, particularly for women or those without the skills to manage digital tools.

These concerns can be addressed by well-structured public policy and social development initiatives. Community-centered pilot programs build trust faster than one size fits all rollouts. Local training and advisory services are as important as the technology itself. The success of initiatives like AgriSmart and Kissan Card demonstrates that digital infrastructure can reach millions, but the real test is whether it changes daily farming practice for a wide range of people.

To fellow young agripreneurs, I offer one piece of advice. Earn trust before you pitch. Through the workshops I organized for farmers and young people, I learned that listening to frustrations and showing real examples mattered more than promising big returns. Farmers are practical. They adopt when they see proof, when a peer recommends it, and when the risk feels manageable.

For me, there is reason to be hopeful as the foundations are already in place. Millions of farmers are now linked to digital financial and advisory platforms. Startups are moving beyond flashy devices to integration with markets, input suppliers, and climate advisory services. If these changes are implemented with local knowledge and fair access in mind, they can bring both productivity and equity.

The marriage of traditional farming and youth led sustainable agritech is not merely a policy debate or a market trend. It is about standing under a neem tree in a village and watching two farmers compare harvests. It is about how those conversations spread new ideas faster than any press release. If we want sustainable agritech in Pakistan, we need to remember that it is not just about sensors, apps, or algorithms. It is about trust, relationships, and making sure that innovation works for everyone who depends on the land.

The writer is an Entrepreneur and Political Scientist from LUMS.