STAFF REPORT IBD: Environment, agriculture and media experts at a workshop have called for making joint efforts to introduce land reforms, ensure food security and halt onslaught of corporate farming in the country by taking all stakeholders on board.
“The government should change its outdated mindset and come forward with a positive and farmers-friendly approach to redistribute land among peasants and provide financial backup aid to them for growing crops so that they could get their livelihood peacefully,” the experts said while speaking at the capacity-building workshop for media persons, land reforms, food security and poverty organised by the Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (Scope) and the National Peasants Coalition of Pakistan (NPCP) in collaboration with the Oxfam Novib and the International Land Coalition.
“Agriculture is the mainstay of the Pakistan economy, accounting for 25 per cent of GDP, 60 percent of export earnings and 48 percent of employment,” said Tanveer Arif, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) SCOPE in his presentation on land reforms.
“We are working on benefits and losses of corporate sector. Food and fuel prices are rising world-wide and they have become a global issue, causing agriculture crisis. Climate change is also affecting agriculture sector,” he observed.
He said, “Media is our big stakeholder, but the coverage on land reforms has been low. Hence there is also need to expand coverage on land reforms, food security and other farmers issues.”