HYDERABAD: A World Bank (WB) representative, Hans Jansen, called on growers’ leaders at the office of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture to discuss with them various projects funded by the bank in Sindh, according to a press release issued by the SCA here on Thursday.

SCA general secretary Zahid Bhurgari and other leaders complained to Mr Jansen that the WB-funded projects — including Sindh Agriculture Growth Project (SAGP), Water Sector Improvement Project (WISP) and Sindh Irrigated Agriculture Prod­uc­tivity Enhancement Project (SIAPEP) — were hit by corruption and they collectively could not strengthen the agriculture sector.

They told the WB representative that they (farmers), the agriculture economy and agriculture sector did not get any benefit from these projects. They urged him to recommend “direct” monitoring of the projects by the international financial institution.

Mr Jansen was briefed about the state of agriculture sector and economy and growers’ plight.

Five farmers’ bodies plan agitation over govt’s failure to address issues

The growers expressed fears over multi-billion rupee barrages’ rehabilitation project, SAGP, SIAPEP etc funded by the World Bank, and made complaints against the project authorities

and their managers.

They observed that three projects costing a total of Rs55 billion — $280 million barrages’ rehabilitation project, $138m WISP and $150m SIAPEP — collectively could neither strengthen the

agriculture economy nor benefit farmers.

They claimed that projects were hit by corruption and alleged that the project directors as well as other officers were involved in it. “The WB funds are not being spent on improvement of the agriculture sector and farmers; rather the project authorities are pocketing the money,” they told Mr Jansen, adding: “blue-eyed boys are being favoured by the corrupt officers and unnecessary visits are being arranged”.

According to SCA leaders, Mr Jansen held out the assurance that the complaints would be conveyed to WB’s board in Washington and all possible efforts would be made to keep all projects corruption-free.

He said World Bank projects worth $500m in Sindh were meant for improving the agriculture sector, introducing reforms and helping boost farmers’ economy.

Others who represented growers included SCA vice president Nabi Bux Sathio, Abdul Karim Talpur, Haji Nisar Memon and Fazal Qadir Memon.

MIRPURKHAS: Farmers Organisation Council (FOC) chairman Javed Ahmed Junejo said on Thursday that an emergency meeting of the council and four other organisations of growers would be held on Friday to take a decision regarding the proposed agitation to force the government to meet their demands.

Speaking to the media, Mr Junejo said that leaders and representatives of the Sindh Agriculture Research Council (SARC), Tail Abadgar Association (TAA), Sindh Abadgar Hari Ittehad (SAHI) and Sindh Abadgar Forum (SAF) would attend the meeting convened by the FOC at Junejo House.

He said that plan to observe a hunger strike outside the Karachi Press Club and hold a sit-in outside the CM House would be finalised.

He said the government had failed to force sugar mills to implement the high court order on cane prices. It also failed to ensure provision of irrigation water to tail-end growers and check use of substandard material in the lining of canals.

Other options to evolve an effective strategy to achieve the objectives would also be discussed at the meeting, he added.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2018