Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved the establishment of an artificial intelligence-based live dashboard to monitor wheat stocks and the supply chain across the province, in what officials described as a significant step toward data-driven and foolproof food policymaking. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting presided over by the Chief Minister, where it was informed that the proposed live dashboard would play a central role in tracking wheat demand, supply, stock levels, and price control mechanisms on a real-time basis, giving provincial authorities visibility into the movement and availability of wheat across Punjab’s vast agricultural and distribution network.
The system will enable day-to-day live digital monitoring of wheat stocks and the supply chain across the province, according to the Chief Minister, addressing a longstanding governance gap where a lack of real-time data has historically made it difficult for authorities to detect and respond to hoarding, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions in a timely manner. The meeting also approved a framework under which licenced aggregators and stockists will be permitted to legally store wheat across the province, on the condition that they declare their wheat stocks to the authorities. Those failing to make declarations within two weeks will face strict legal action under the Anti-Hoarding Act, while the government indicated it may offer incentives to aggregators who honestly disclose their reserves, creating a compliance structure that combines enforcement with positive reinforcement.
The artificial intelligence dashboard initiative forms part of a broader directive issued by the Chief Minister to undertake a complete overhaul and revamping of the provincial food department in line with modern governance requirements. The deployment of real-time digital monitoring for agricultural commodities at a provincial scale reflects a growing recognition within Pakistan’s government structures that artificial intelligence and data analytics tools can address institutional weaknesses in food security management that have persisted for decades. For Punjab, which recorded a production of more than 22 million metric tonnes of wheat this year according to the Chief Minister, having the technological infrastructure to accurately track and manage such large volumes of grain in real time is increasingly being treated not as an optional upgrade but as an essential component of evidence-based food policy and price stability management across the province.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
