Pakistan: Farmers protest against corporate farming, canals' construction

Lahore [Pakistan], April 14 (ANI): Protests erupted across Pakistan on Sunday against corporate farming, the construction of six canals on Indus River, the absence of a minimum support price (MSP) for wheat, and the proposed privatisation of the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO), Dawn reported.

The Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee (PKRC) led demonstrations in over 30 towns and cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Rajanpur, Jhang, Kacha Khu, Bhakkar, Jatoi, Shikarpur, Larkana, Sukkur, Badin, Mardan, Dir, Malakand, and Lakki Marwat. The PKRC launched its campaign to resist what it termed a corporate takeover of agriculture and the marginalisation of small farmers, Dawn reported.

Addressing a protest in Kacha Khu, PKRC Secretary General Farooq Tariq criticised the government for leasing out 1.7 million acres of farmland to corporate entities. He said the move aimed to displace small-scale farmers, undermine local food systems, and prioritise profits over sustainability and social justice. Tariq demanded comprehensive agrarian reforms, including legislation on land ownership and redistribution, aligned with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants.

PKRC women's leader Riffat Maqsood stressed the importance of setting a wheat MSP of Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 4,000 per 40 kg and maintaining public grain procurement. She said MSP helps shield farmers from market volatility and ensures fair competition. Farooq Ahmad and Razia Khan opposed the government's proposal in Bahawalpur to build six canals across the Indus River for corporate agriculture in Cholistan.

Pakistan's farmers face deteriorating conditions due to rising input costs, lack of government support, and climate-related challenges. As per reports, corporate farming initiatives and land leases to private entities threaten to displace smallholders. Water shortages, erratic rainfall, and floods caused by climate change further damage crops. Media reports suggest that the proposed privatisation undermines public grain procurement, leaving farmers vulnerable. Without urgent reforms, rural livelihoods, food security, and the future of small-scale farming remain at serious risk. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)