KARACHI: “Don’t starve those who produce food for you!” This was the underlying message at a rally, comprising farmers, peasants, workers and fisherfolk, taken out by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) in connection with their Growers’ Week and World Food Day activities, which started at Regal Chowk and ended at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday.

Highlighting the issues faced by the farmers, peasants, workers and fisherfolk, PFF chairman Mohammad Ali Shah said food sources were depleting all over the world, which was most worrisome. “On the one hand there are natural calamities such as storms, floods, etc, that hinder agriculture and, on the other, we see untreated industrial poisonous waste being dumped into the sea, rivers and lakes. The contamination of our water sources is also resulting in the depletion of seafood,” he said.

“Over a billion people of the world are malnourished. Meanwhile, there are big businesses earning by hook or crook, cutting edges by hurting the environment,” he said.

“Pakistan is an agriculture country, where 70 per cent revenue is earned through agriculture. Agriculture and fisheries serve as a backbone for the economy of Pakistan. And yet Sindh that contributes the most to the country’s economy has 72pc people who are finding it hard to make ends meet and feed their families,” he said while urging the government to come up with a food policy that which can safeguard the rights of the farmers, peasants and fisherfolk of this country.

PFF vice chairman Fatima Majeed said the construction of dams would result in drying up Sindh and nuclear power plants would end all sea life here, while land-grabbing was stealing land to grow food on from the indigenous people of the province.

Saeed Baloch, PFF general secretary, said that as a result of climate change and pollution, when one sowed seeds here, there were very few plants and little harvest as a result of no rains. “The government should spare a thought for those who produce food here so that their children don’t have to go to bed hungry,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2016