The PPP government in Sindh has started to flaunt as a major decision - understandably so - the introduction of 'Land Grant Policy' in its 2008-09 budget, under which some 212,000 acres of land are to be handed to landless farmers. The policy though is about distribution of some state lands, not the much-needed land reforms.
Yet, an enthused provincial Information Minister, Shazia Marri, seemed to overstate the policy's likely impact when she told a pre-budget press conference that "this is to eliminate feudalism and change this [feudal] mindset."
The fact of the matter is that this is not the first time that a government has decided to grant ownership rights to landless peasants. During one of his two stints as prime minister in the 90s, Nawaz Sharif launched a similar programme amid much fanfare, yet feudalism and its by-product, feudal mindset, are well and alive in this country.
Indeed, there has been a strong realisation here, based on the historical experience of other nations, that in order to put the country on the road to progress and prosperity and reduce, if not remove, social inequalities it is imperative to break the hold of feudalism. There have been three attempts at land reforms - the first in 1959 by the military government of General Ayub Khan, the second by the PPP government of Zulifqar Ali Bhutto in 1972, and the third and, a rather feeble one, in 1977.
None of them proved to be effective due to various deficiencies in both the law and its implementation. Consequently, the balance of social and economic power in this predominantly agrarian economy remains, todate, in the hands of the 'landed gentry'. It was no coincidence when a few months ago a situation arose wherein there were three main contenders for the prime ministership of Pakistan, two from Punjab and one from Sindh, and all three belonged to the landed class.
Meaningful land reforms are needed not only to change social relations but also farmers' ties to the land they till so as to enhance productivity. That though is a subject of discussion for another day. The issue at hand is about granting of ownership rights to landless peasants, which could become a substantive gesture only if backed by a well-thought-out implementation plan.
Granting ownership rights of mostly fallow lands to poor farmers is not going to be helpful unless it is aimed at increasing production and reducing income inequalities. The government must, therefore, provide the new owners with the means to put the land to productive use through such measures as easy access to credit, crop insurance and advisory services for production enhancement.