Farmers, growers, civil society, women leaders and social activists and change makers have rejected the new agriculture policy by the Sindh Government which has excluded small growers in decision making and not addressed their issues properly. The policy has also ignored womenfolk and peasants.
The main and unanimous demand from the conference held at local hotel was declaration of water emergency in Sindh province due to acute and serious water shortage faced by the Sindh province.
Growers termed corruption, mismanagement, nepotism, political influence of ruling party feudal, inefficiency and lack of proper dedicated ministry for irrigation main causes of the shortage of water.
All growers at the conference were of the view that political monopoly of one party has destroyed the agriculture department and irrigation system in the province. Therefore, the main slogan of growers was vote for water in 2018 election came on the forum.
Poverty in Sindh was attributed to wrong policies of Sindh government & inefficiency of irrigation and agriculture department. Disaster management has also not performed and caused more losses to the agriculture.
While talking to participants, Suleman G Abro, CEO SAWFCO, said agriculture policy has not been made in consultation with stakeholders and gaps and flaws existed in it. He urged that the lack of coordination mechanism between government line departments were suggested that Agriculture policy needed to be revisited and water, food and biodiversity should be given priority.
Zahida Detho, EDO SRPO, while speaking in the seminar highlighted the issue of water scarcity that had worsened the situation in rural Sindh where the situation was forcing the poor to migrate to urban areas in order to survive. She emphasized the need for giving space to the women who were facing problems being denied to play their due roles to improve the situation that was impossible until the women's participation was not recognized. She highlighted the gender gap that needed to be bridged.
Professor Dr M Ismail Kumbhar of Sindh Agri University Tanjam said that an efficient & prosperous Agri sector needs proper attention. In his presentation the Professor highlighted the agri policy gaps and said that agri policy addressed the crops and livestock sector however fisheries, forestry, and agri mechanization have been ignored. He said that poor data, lack of research, integration of agriculture, proper accountability and regularity are main problems in export of Agriculture products. Fishing & Livestock Sectors are not being covered in the policy.
Nabi Bux Sathio, representative of Sindh Chamber of Agriculture highlighted worsening crop situation of Sindh. He said that Agri policy is not fulfilling the needs of farmers and $1.5 million have been wasted
Ali Palh, President Sindh Agriculture Research Council (SARC), said that growers always approach to courts for wheat Bardana, sugarcane and water supply or come on roads for protests which identify lack of will of Sindh government.
Idrees Rajput said Sindh Government has not gone into CCI for resolving inter-provincial disputes of distribution. Rajput said the government irrigation department lacks its capacity to resolve the issue and lacks commitment.