THE National Assembly’s standing committee on national food security met on January 15 to consider fixation of wheat support price for 2014 sowing season at a time when the sowing of wheat in the country was already over. Interestingly, the committee still found itself divided.

Sindh, represented by an MNA, asked for raising the support price to Rs1350 per 40kg to enable farmers meet soaring cost of inputs while those representing other provinces supported the existing price of Rs1200.

However, the meeting later developed a consensus on keeping the existing price. This was a second meeting on the price issue; the first one held on November 28 had sought a raise in the price.

Why this meeting was called by the NA panel with a single item agenda of wheat support price is difficult to understand when all the provinces had already decided against any revision of the support price at the sowing stage. And this decision was conveyed to the federal ministry of National Food Security And Research (MNFS&R) on December 13. Besides, the decision-making powers, one may note, in respect of matters relating to agriculture including the fixation of wheat support price have shifted to the provinces after the demise of the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal).

The question arises whether the devolution project which the architects of the 18th Amendment were so keen to implement without realising its implications is functioning well and has actually produced the desired results now that two and a half years have elapsed? Some experts believe there was no need as such to devolve the Minfal. The decision, they think, may have been prompted by big landowners who are well represented in parliament and saw the move serving their interests.

On July 1, 2011, seven ministries including agriculture were devolved. Sindh and Punjab had expressed strong reservations over the retention of departments of devolved ministries by the federal government. Eight subjects which had became redundant have been abolished and 15 major functions of the Minfal have been separated and distributed among federal ministries and departments which many see a negation of devolution. In October 2011, prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani created four new ministries to absorb left-over departments at the federal level after the devolution. One was ministry of national disaster management which in April 2012 was renamed ministry of climate change.

What causes confusion is the role of the MNFS&R created after the passage of the 18th Amendment. It was meant to ensure people’s access to food, create coordination between the centre and provinces without undermining latter’s autonomy and maintain liaison on behalf of the federation with international organisations such as FAO, IFAD, UNICEF and agriculture departments of major economies. But, as is evident, this ministry sees itself more as reincarnation of the Minfal.

Another development that caused a surprise to many has been the revival of Federal Committee on Agriculture which had ceased to exist when the devolution came into effect on July 1, 2011. Its first meeting organised by the ministry of food security on November 11 also discussed the wheat support price issue but decided to maintain status quo.

Although Federal Minister for NFS&R Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan was architect of this move, he could not attend the meeting. His speech was read out by Food Security Commissioner in which it was pointed out that the “devolution of food and agriculture ministry had adversely affected the federal government and the rural economy.”

Secretary of the ministry who presided over the meeting told the participants in a policy speech that the ministry was now “looking after the subject of the devolved Ministry of Food and Agriculture,” in addition to food and nutrition. With the devolution of the Minfal, he said, not only the federal government has lost the international coordination and cooperation but “the linkages with the national agricultural system have also weakened.”

There is no denying the fact that the country needs a federal-level ministry to look after the functions the provinces cannot perform after devolution.

Certain issues cannot be tackled by the provinces. For instance, two provinces are always surplus in wheat and another two always in deficit. It is the responsibility of the federal government to ensure supply of wheat and other agriculture commodities to the needy provinces and regions. The provinces would not carry out this important function on their own. Most of the agriculture research institutes and laboratories are located in Punjab. But other provinces may also need such institutes which only a federal body can help arrange.