Environment: The aftershocks of global warming

Posted on August 1, 2016 HAMID AHMAD MIR For the past three decades climatologists have been raising alarms about global warming and its consequences, and now geologists have also got involved in the issue. World’s renowned geologists are of the opinion that rapidly melting glaciers will result in increasing number of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. This is based on the …

GENETICALLY MODIFIED: GM CROPS – BOON OR BANE?

Posted on August 12, 2016 The Express Tribune, August 12th, 2016. Peer Muhammad ISLAMABAD: Experts are currently debating whether introduction of genetically modified crops (GMCs) would help fulfil nutritional requirements and improve agricultural productivity – or carry with it unwarranted adverse consequences if GMCs are introduced without following standard safety measures. The views were expressed during a brainstorming session on commercialisation of …

Plants Breeders Right Bill: Farmer Shackling Law

Posted on August 13, 2016 Press Release During the press conference PKMT national coordinator Raja Mujeeb, provincial coordinator sindh Ali Nawaz Jalbani, national core group member Hakim Gul and district coordinator ghotki Ali Gohar speaking to the media. August 12, 2016 The Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research (NFS&R) on August 9, 2016 approved the ‘Plant Breeders Bill 2016’ …

Decent Wages for Agricultural Laborers!

Posted on October 17, 2016 Press Release: World Hunger Day The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nation holds 16th October as “World Hunger Day” every year for the past 70 years. The United Nations slogan for World Hunger Day is “Climate is changing. Food and Agriculture Must Too.” However, Pakistan Kissan Mazdoor Tehreek (PKMT) and Roots for Equity in …

Farmers asked to avoid corporate agriculture

Posted on March 14, 2017 M Haleem Asad Speakers at a national conference named “Sustaining Lives and Livelihood: Fighting for Food Sovereignty and Climate Justice,” held at the Auditorium Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi asked farmers across the country to reject corporate agriculture which promotes intensive use of chemicals and pesticides, hybrid and genetic seeds that would damage the very foundations …

Statement on behalf of Farmers Constituency during UNEP Senior Official Meeting

Posted on September 7, 2017 Agenda Item 8 Wali Haider, Roots for Equity, Pakistan Thank you Mr. Chairman! I am Wali Haider from Roots for Equity, Pakistan on behalf of the Farmers Constituency of the Asia Pacific Regional CSOs Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM). While we appreciate the space for interventions given to CSOs, we also would like to stress that we feel …

Destruction of the Cotton Harvest: A Golden Opportunity for Transnational Corporations?

Posted on November 14, 2015  Dr. Azra Talat Sayeed In Pakistan, newspapers have been rife with news on the pink bollworm attack on the cotton harvest this year. The scenario is indeed disastrous on many accounts. Of course, the very first in line to be caught in the destruction are Pakistan’s millions of small farmers. With cotton being a major cash …

Experts question approval of GM corn, cotton to be sold in market

Posted on April 4, 2016 JAMAL SHAHID ISLAMABAD: The government has approved over 100 varieties of genetically modified corn and cotton to be sold in the market, but the move has drawn concern from some agriculture experts. They have argued that the regulatory system and national bio-safety laws, and the standard operating procedure for the commercialisation of genetically engineered technology have …