- विज्ञापन -
Islamabad: Farmers across Pakistan have announced plans for a nationwide protest on April 13 to oppose corporate farming initiatives being introduced under the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI), according to a report by Dawn.
The protest will include rallies and conventions in various towns and on public-sector farms, organized by a coalition of groups, including the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee, Anjuman Mazareen Punjab, Hari Jedojehad Committee, and the Crofter Foundation.
Protesters aim to halt corporate farming practices that threaten to displace peasant farmers from the lands they have cultivated for generations. They are also calling for a ban on the construction of controversial canals in southern Punjab, the redistribution of public sector agricultural land to small farmers, the withdrawal of eviction notices to tenants for outstanding dues amounting to millions, and the establishment of a wheat purchase price of PKR 4,000 per 40 kg during the current harvesting season.
The GPI, a federal government initiative, aims to boost agricultural development and address environmental concerns by converting uncultivated land into high-yield farms using modern technology, advanced irrigation systems, quality seeds, AI monitoring, and improved farming equipment. However, farmers and activists fear that this shift towards large-scale agribusiness may jeopardize the livelihoods of small landowners, displace peasants on state-owned lands, and limit their access to essential agricultural resources.
