March 20, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 16, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, March 19: The government should take measures to protect small farmers, facing increased cost of production due to the removal of subsidies.

Speaking at a Press conference, the senior programme officer food rights, Actionaid, Aftab Alam Khan, said the government should take firm stand in the WTO negotiations scheduled for March 25-31 at Geneva to reform the agreement on agriculture aiming at to protect its agriculture sector, especially small farmers.

He said it was unfair that in the developed countries more subsidies were provided to the farmers while the developing countries were asked to withdraw the same from their crops, which consequently could not compete in the international markets.

Mr Khan said under the proposed agriculture agreements, more incentives were given to developed countries- European Union was given the right to protect 549 local products against imports at any time; USA 149 products and Switzerland 961 products.

The developing countries were given only the concessions of flexibility.

Commenting on the drafts of chairman of the committee on agriculture in WTO, Mr Khan said the draft did not even address the core issues of dumping, increased import bills, drastic reduction of support to small farmers in poor countries.

According to the draft agreement, developed countries would continue subsidising their exports up to the year 2014, which also provides sufficient space to the rich countries to continue supporting their farmers for indefinite period.

The demand of developing countries to exempt their sensitive crops from reduction commitments has not been addressed in the draft, he said and added that these kinds of modalities would further weaken the position of the developing countries especially the poor farmers of Pakistan, who will face unjust competition from cheap products, which get skyscrapers subsidies in developed countries.

Representative of Sustainable development policy institute (SDPI), Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, said it was a right time for the government to take up the issue at the WTO forum for getting incentives for the small farmers before it was finalised.

He said it was the responsibility of the government that before going for any international agreement, it should take inputs from the people.

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