Photo source: The Global Kashmir  By Naveed Qazi, Sustainability Analyst O ver the past few decades, a growing scholarship has emerged from Kashmir valley, which has established a profound transformation of the valley’s agrarian landscape. Their research work suggests that agricultural land is steadily shrinking, farming is becoming less attractive as a livelihood, and the rural society is undergoing a process of de-agrarianisation. There have been several contemporary studies done which lay out policy, their implications, as well as scientific reasons behind agricultural decline, leading to varying perspectives. One of the earliest scientific examinations of this phenomenon came from agricultural economists, Dr. M.H. Wani, Sajad Hassan Baba, and Shahid Yousuf of SKUAST-Kashmir in their influential 2009 study. They came to some conclusions such as huge pressure of increasing population on land and other resources of the state leading to agricultural production decline. They also pe...

Photo source: Never Blue IT By Naveed Qazi, Sustainability Analyst   A s one of the most influential technologies of our era, artificial intelligence is reshaping the sectors of public administration, financial system, scientific research, and everyday life. Behind its presence lies a deeply physical infrastructure, made up of data centres, semiconductor factories, fibre networks, and global mineral supply chains. The technology relies on an infrastructure dependent on electricity, water, land, and materials at a scale, which is not widely apparent in public debate. However, what is conclusive now through international evidence is that AI is not environmentally neutral, even if its global footprint remains partially measurable. The major starting point for the analysis on this issue would be the measured data on global digital ecosystems. The International Energy Agency reports that global energy consumption has been rising steadily, around 1 to 1.5 percent, and that electricity de...

  Photo Source: Sundrop Farms Website By Naveed Qazi, Sustainability Analyst Sustainability is increasingly recognised as a framework for creating long-term environmental, economic and social value rather than simply reducing environmental harm. Within contemporary business strategy, sustainability has evolved from a corporate social responsibility initiative into a driver of innovation, operational resilience and stakeholder confidence. Scholars such as Michael Porter and Mark Kramer (2011) argue that firms can create 'shared value' by aligning commercial success with solutions to societal challenges, although the economic benefits of sustainability depend on effective implementation and local market conditions. One of the most widely cited examples of sustainable agricultural innovation is Sundrop Farms, located near Port Augusta in South Australia. According to Sundrop Farms (2024), the company integrates concentrated solar thermal energy, seawater desalination and hydroponi...