Farm policy overhaul

Most significant, speedily implementable of these reforms relate to agriculture sector

The interim government appears to be doing its best to make a positive impact in its last few weeks in charge, preparing several draft reform proposals for the incoming government with the hope of helping it hit the ground running. The most significant and speedily implementable of these reforms relate to the agriculture sector, with a national seed policy being of the highest urgency. The plan would ideally synergise with other reforms to allow the government to punish underperforming seed companies and unscrupulous actors in related industries, such as fertilizer and pesticide makers, importers and sellers. This is important because many experts say low-quality seeds are a factor in the decline of the agriculture sector.

Other proposals include legislation relating to corporate farming — both inviting investment and regulating farm operations. However, critics have noted that the government’s focus on corporate farming has been heavily biased towards investors, not small-time farmers, who would likely go out of business if competing directly with massive corporations. Other concerns relate to the sale of massive swathes of land to faceless corporations, including multinational companies, and the impact of corporate farming on water supply, soil quality and pollution.

Supporters of the model point to the potential for corporate farming to help tap Middle Eastern markets, but to justify such exports, Pakistan would have to have enough of a surplus to be considered ‘food secure’ again, after decades of insecurity. If this is the target, small farmers could be incentivised to tap the more lucrative market for organic products, where ‘small batch’ production also yields premium prices. This would make their farms more profitable while ensuring they are not in direct competition with the corporations anymore. It is also worth noting that the profit margins become even bigger with organic livestock products, and since our farmers have historic expertise in farming and livestock-rearing methods that are considered ‘organic’ today, the transition would not be too difficult.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^th, 2024.

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