Monthly Archives: June 2014

Media sensitisation workshop: PMKT underscores need for ‘effective’ land reforms

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June 14, 2014

RECORDER REPORT

Farmers’ rights organisation demanded an end of feudal system, and land reforms against unjust distribution of water and agricultural lands, and stressed need for formulation of effective policy to tackle issues relating to food-insecurity in the country.

This was stated by Wali Haider, General Secretary Pakistan Mazdoor Kissan Tehreek (PMKT) while speaking at media sensitisation workshop on land reforms, organised in collaboration with the Roots for Equity at Peshawar Press Club on Friday. Other speakers include PMKT social organiser Asif Khan and Malik Rab Nawaz, Gohar and Osama from Roots for Equity. A large number of media persons from print and electronic media organisations participated in the awareness session.

PMKT representative said the feudal class alongside with capitalists is exploiting the workers and peasants with a greater speed. He demanded the control of local communities over their natural resources and an end of exploitation of natural resources by the multinational companies.

Calling for proper legislation for equal distribution of farmlands, the participants stressed the need for launching awareness initiatives for getting rid of the feudal system. They further stressed giving maximum autonomy in decision making for sowing various seeds and crops.

Wali Haider said the issue of growing food insecurity could only be tackled by ensuring equal distribution of agricultural lands among small growers through effective land reforms in the country. According to survey report of UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), he said approximately one billion people are facing hunger and malnutrition, while the official figure stated that 50 percent people are living below poverty line in the country, he maintained.

Stressing the need for equal distribution of agricultural lands among farmers, he said successive governments had failed to introduce an efficient land-reform policy, adding that farmers were being deprived of their rights in absence of a tangible policy. “We need to free the country from the clutches of feudal class, which can only be made possible through an organised movement,” he maintained.

Opposing the enactment of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Seeds Act 2014, he termed the legislation against the right of small growers, through which multinational companies could gain monopoly and bound the farmers to purchase seed from only registered companies. Regarding reports imposition of agriculture-tax and seed-tax by KP government in coming fiscal budget, he said both federal and provincial government prime obligation to protect the right of small growers, and would make consultation before formulation of any policies in the agriculture sector. “A sustainable agriculture policy should be formulated and efforts should be made for capacity-building of small and poor farmers. They should be equipped with modern know-how and harvesting tools,” the participants stressed.

Equitable distribution of agriculture land, water stressed

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Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2014

By Ali Hazrat Bacha

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a media sensitisation workshop on Friday stressed the need for equitable distribution of agricultural land and water among the people to bring an end to capitalism and feudalism in the country to overcome the issues pertaining to food insecurity.

They insisted land reforms had become extremely necessary, mainly under the current circumstances, where the elected assemblies were working to support the ‘agenda’ of multinational companies by approving new laws.

The workshop was organised by Pakistan Mazdoor Kissan Tehreek (PMKT) in collaboration with NGO Roots for Equity at the Peshawar Press Club on Friday.

Representatives of print, electronic and broadcast media attended the event in large numbers.

Those spoke on the occasion include, PMKT general secretary Wali Haider, PMKT social organiser Asif Khan and Malik Rab Nawaz, Gohar and Osama from Roots for Equity.

Wali Haider said the issue of the growing food insecurity could only be tackled by ensuring equal distribution of agricultural land and irrigational water among small growers, chiefly among landless people, through effective land reforms in the country.He said according to a report of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, around one billion people in the world faced acute hunger and malnutrition, while the official figures suggested 50 per cent of the country’s population lived below the poverty line.

The PMKT general secretary said 70 per cent people were in need of food and therefore, their children had the only option to search whatever leftover eatable items they could find in garbage dumps.

He stressed the need for equal distribution of agricultural land among landless farmers, saying the successive governments had failed to introduce an efficient land reform policy and therefore, multinational companies had tightened their control on the country’s affairs.

Wali Haider said farmers were denied rights due to the government’s indifference.

“We need to free the country from the clutches of feudal lords, which can only be made possible through an organised movement to be supported by people of all segments of the society,” he said.

The PMKT general secretary expressed reservations about the tabling of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Seed Bill 2014 and said the proposed law was an attempt of the government to deprive small growers of food.

“If the bill is approved, the provincial government will force farmers to purchase seeds from multinational companies instead of preserving seeds of various crops and vegetables through traditional methods,” he said.

Wali Haider voiced concern about the idea of imposing agriculture and seed taxes in the province and said the government should ensure protection of the rights of small growers in consultation with stakeholders before making such moves.

He said a sustainable agriculture policy should be formulated, while efforts should be made for the capacity building of small, poor farmers.

“Small growers should be equipped with modern farming techniques and harvesting tools,” he said.

Other experts complained feudal lords along with capitalists were exploiting workers and farmers and therefore, local communities should be given the control of their natural resources.

They demanded effective end to exploitative policies of feudal lords and capitalists through legislation as well as equal distribution of farmlands.