📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Luteki
Agriculture
Punjab Border Farmers Struggle with Crop Choices, Wildlife Threats and Fixed Work Hours
✍️ Amar Ujala · Amritsar
🗓 02 Nov 2026, 08:02 AM
👁 11
Farmers living along the India‑Pakistan border in Punjab face difficulties cultivating their preferred crops, contend with wildlife hazards and are bound by set working hours.
The agricultural community situated along the international border between India and Pakistan in Punjab is confronting a set of unique challenges. Farmers report that the proximity to the border limits their ability to select and grow the crops they deem most suitable for their land and market demands.
In addition to crop constraints, the presence of wild animals near the cultivated fields has become a source of constant anxiety, as farmers fear damage to their produce and potential safety risks. These wildlife incursions add an unpredictable element to daily farming operations.
Compounding the situation, local regulations or informal agreements have imposed fixed working hours for agricultural activities in the border zone. This restriction hampers flexibility, especially during peak seasons when extended labor is often required. The combined effect of limited crop choice, wildlife threats, and rigid work schedules is reshaping the livelihood strategies of these border farmers.
Authorities and agricultural experts are being urged to assess the situation and explore measures that could mitigate wildlife conflicts, relax restrictive work hour norms, and provide guidance on viable crop alternatives suited to the border environment.
In addition to crop constraints, the presence of wild animals near the cultivated fields has become a source of constant anxiety, as farmers fear damage to their produce and potential safety risks. These wildlife incursions add an unpredictable element to daily farming operations.
Compounding the situation, local regulations or informal agreements have imposed fixed working hours for agricultural activities in the border zone. This restriction hampers flexibility, especially during peak seasons when extended labor is often required. The combined effect of limited crop choice, wildlife threats, and rigid work schedules is reshaping the livelihood strategies of these border farmers.
Authorities and agricultural experts are being urged to assess the situation and explore measures that could mitigate wildlife conflicts, relax restrictive work hour norms, and provide guidance on viable crop alternatives suited to the border environment.