The government of Pakistan has already leased out at least 1.7 million acres of agricultural land to corporate entities, including land that has been cultivated by tenant farmers for over a century. This move is a blatant attempt to displace small farmers, dismantle local food systems, and prioritize profit over sustainability, justice, and social welfare.

As an alternative, we demand inclusive and nationwide agrarian reforms that secure land ownership rights for landless farmers and peasants. We call for new legislation to regulate and redistribute land in line with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP). All public-sector agricultural land must be redistributed to peasants, and the government must immediately withdraw illegal notices issued to tenants demanding outstanding dues amounting to millions of rupees.

The plan to build six canals from the Indus River to support corporate farming in Cholistan has also sparked strong opposition. This project will displace thousands of farming families and further damage an already fragile ecosystem.

We are fighting for an MSP, public stockholding, and public procurement systems that protect farmers from the volatility of the global market. The MSP is a critical safeguard against unequal pricing, high production costs, and the influx of subsidized agricultural imports. Our struggle is for protection from market fluctuations and the uncertainty imposed by the global food system.

We further demand the abolition of the WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) and all Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that enable WTO interference in our agricultural and food systems. We stand firmly against IMF-imposed neoliberal policies that are anti-farmer and call for market regulation to ensure fair prices for farmers’ produce.

We also oppose the private sector’s involvement in grain imports and dumping, which depresses local market prices and undermines our food sovereignty. Farmers across the country are demanding a fair MSP of Rs. 4000 for 40 kg of wheat, arguing that the current price fails to cover their rising production costs.

The issues of corporate farming, the Six Canals Project, and MSP are not just agricultural concerns—they are matters of survival for millions of farming families and the future of sustainable agriculture in Pakistan. Farmers and allied movements are demanding a just and equitable agricultural system that prioritizes the rights of smallholders and strengthens local communities.

In response, the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee, a coalition of farmers and peasant organizations, is organizing protests across the country on April 13. Our struggle will continue until we secure farmers’ rights and food sovereignty for all people of Pakistan.

Farooq Tariq
General Secretary
Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee