Paris

On Monday, the National Federation of French Agricultural Unions (FNSEA) and the French Young Farmers (JA) block the main access roads to Paris to demand that President Emmanuel Macron accede to the demands of French farmers.

“I call for calm and determination in a week where we will face all kinds of risks,” the FNSEA Secretary Arnaud Rousseau said, adding that the farmers’ goal “is neither violence nor provocation,” but rather to pressure the government to improve their living conditions.

On Sunday, Macron convened a crisis cabinet to analyze measures that would allow the French government to prevent chaos and a potential blockade of Paris.

The government’s priority is to protect the highway access to the Roissy and Orly international airports from closures and to prevent the closure of the Rungis market, which is considered the world’s largest wholesale fresh produce market.

Le #BlocusDeParis est patiemment et méthodiquement mis en place sur l'A1 avec des agriculteurs venus de l'Oise et du Val d'Oise, alors que 6 autres points de blocage probablement aussi conséquents sont répartis autour de Paris. #AgriculteursEnColere pic.twitter.com/uripEIjqY8

— Cerveaux non disponibles (@CerveauxNon) January 29, 2024

The text reads, “The farmers from Oise and Val d’Oise are patiently and methodically installing the Paris blockade on the A1 highway. Meanwhile, six other blocking points probably just as large are distributed throughout Paris. Angry farmers.”

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin ordered the mobilization of 15,000 police officers and gendarmes to prevent the blockades on eight highways from isolating Paris.

He clarified that his directive is not to intervene in the blockades, with the exception being if trucks carrying foreign products are confiscated.

“That is unacceptable, and therefore, we have given instructions for intervention and detention if such incidents occur, which are sporadic but have already happened,” said Darmanin.

Des agriculteurs du Lot-et-Garonne et de Dordogne viennent de se rallier à Bergerac (24) pour partir en cortège en direction de Paris.#AgriculteursEnColere #BlocusDeParis #BlocusRungis pic.twitter.com/QKvPT6bfSQ

— Enzo Rabouy (@enzorabouyy) January 29, 2024

The text reads, “The farmers of Lot-et-Garonne and Dordogne have just gathered in Bergerac to leave for Paris in a caravan.”

So far, the Macron administration has been cautious about deploying police forces to disperse these protests, which it has deemed peaceful despite the blocking of infrastructure and the burning of some public buildings.

The French government has supported the farmers’ argument about the ongoing unfair competition from European Union partners such as Spain and Italy.

Also read: French Farmers Block Roads and Surround Paris With Tractors

“Our farmers are subject to phytosanitary rules that are not imposed on other countries,” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on Sunday.

Currently, France imports at least 40 percent of the fruits and vegetables it consumes. This is due to certain European environmental rules that hinder French food sovereignty.

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Courtesy: TeleSur (Posted on Jan 29, 2024)

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Berlin

On Monday, German farmers kick off a week of mobilizations that includes highway blockades to protest against the subsidy cuts by the coalition government.

“Things cannot go on like this,” said a retiree, emphasizing that “the people” should not tolerate unprepared individuals making harmful decisions for agriculture and destroying the country.

Columns of tractors and trucks converged in the centers of cities such as Berlin, Cologne, or Hamburg, while roadblocks and slow-moving vehicle convoys disrupted traffic in various parts of the country.

In Emden, tractors paralyzed a Volkswagen factory, while in Thülsfelde, a protester was seriously injured by a car that hit him while trying to bypass a picket.

WATCH: Farmers with their tractors hold nationwide protest in Germany pic.twitter.com/RA1rFbIQaU

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) January 8, 2024

“They are going to take away the future capacity of agriculture,” the German Farmers’ Association (DBV) President Joachim Rukwied said, urging the government to “return to reason” and revoke the “disproportionate burden” imposed on farmers.

Despite concessions from the administration of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, such as maintaining the subsidy for agricultural vehicle circulation tax and only gradually phasing out the agricultural diesel subsidy, farmers argue that it is not enough.

Farmers maintain that in the current situation of falling agricultural product prices, removing the subsidy of 21.48 cents per liter of diesel will result in a one-third reduction in their income.

However, the government aims to save €920 million with this step, as part of a package of cuts negotiated after a Constitutional Court ruling at the end of last year required a review of a significant portion of the 2024 budget.

BREAKING REPORT: Truckers join MASSIVE farmer protest in Germany..

Downtown Berlin has already been effectively shut down by thousands of farmers in what many are the calling the LARGEST PROTEST in modern history..

CORPORATE MEDIA SILENT..pic.twitter.com/j1G1zOtSO8

— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) January 8, 2024

The farmers’ protests are channeling the dissatisfaction of the population with the coalition government, popularly known as “the traffic light” due to the colors of social democrats, greens, and liberals.

According to a public television survey released last Sunday, 82 percent of citizens are little or not at all satisfied with the government’s performance, marking the worst rating for a German government in 13 years.

The popularity of the social democrat Chancellor Scholz has also declined over the past year and a half. Currently, only 20 percent approve of his policies.

On the contrary, if elections were held now, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) would have become the second-largest political force with 21 percent of the votes, behind only the Christian Democrats, leading with 32 percent.

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Courtesy: TeleSur, Venezuela (Posted on Jan 8, 2024)

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Tandojam Sindh

National and international experts and policy-making organizations have emphasized better relations between farmers and landlords to eliminate the concept of forced labor from the agricultural sector.

“Nearly 5 thousand farmers have signed agreements with their landlords,” the experts said and added that farmers will be prosperous in the form of better production.

“The farmers have been trained to improve the productivity of the land through organic farming,” experts said speaking at a workshop held under the auspices of Sindh Agriculture University on Thursday.

The workshop titled “Impact assessment validation and learning” was held at the university senate hall, in collaboration with Sindh Government, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the European Union (EU). Several delegates from SAU, Agricultural Research, Agriculture Extension, Irrigation department, CIDA, and social representatives participated.

Addressing the opening ceremony, the Vice Chancellor of Sindh Agriculture University, Dr. Fateh Marri, said that increasing production is necessary for food security, and the comprehensive agreement between the landlords and the peasants regarding shareholding is an important development. “This way, we can ensure food security and Food Production systems can also be implemented.”

He said that the number of incidents caused by poverty in the country, especially in Sindh, is high. If we can increase our production per acre by 5 to 10 percent, the poverty, and unemployment will decrease by 50 percent within the next 10 years.

Ms. Florence Rolle, representative of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) addressed virtually and said that they are working on various agricultural projects in collaboration with the Sindh Agriculture University. The FAO with the financial support of the European Union (EU) is working in the province of Sindh.”

Landless peasants in Sindh usually have access to land as tenants through oral agreements between themselves and landlords, but now a system of better tenancy has been introduced for them, which has had a positive impact on agriculture, and has succeeded in ending the concept of bonded labor in rural agriculture of Sindh.

Mr. James Okoth, head of FAO’s Sindh office, said that all stakeholders have a role to play in sustaining natural resources and encouraging people to invest. In this regard, the government, private institutions, landlords and farmers will have to be brought on the same page.

On this occasion, Mr. Roberto Aparicio Martin of EU presented his remarks virtually, and FAO’s Ms. Marianna Bicchieri, FAO Consultant Dr. Heman Das Lohano, Dr. Junaid Memon, and Raja Ajmal presented their papers on various topics.

Dr. Jan Muhammad Marri, Pro Vice Chancellor, Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, Ashfaque Ahmed Nahyoon, and others addressed the event, while group discussions were also held. (PR)

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Karachi

Sindh Chief Secretary Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput presided over a meeting on Monday to review arrangements for providing cash subsidies to farmers.

Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Agriculture Aijaz Ahmed Mahesar, Director General Benazir Income Support Program Sindh Imtiaz Ali Shah participated in the meeting while Additional Secretary BISP Islamabad, all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners participated in the meeting through video link.

Sindh Chief Secretary said that the government of Sindh will provide five thousand rupees per acre in the form of seed to provide relief to the farmers in the flood-affected districts. “The registered growers will receive a message regarding cash disbursement through BISP,” he added.

He further said that a total amount of 4.224 billion rupees will be distributed among the farmers. He added that the amount of subsidy will be distributed among 185928 farmers who have 12 and half acres of land in Sindh.

He directed all the commissioners to monitor the cash transfer process themselves.

Chief Secretary Sindh directed the Secretary Agriculture Department and BISP to complete the cash transfer arrangements this week so that the cash transfer can be ensured soon by submitting a report to the Sindh Chief Minister.

Director General Benazir Income Support Program Imtiaz Ali Shah said that this money will be given to farmers on 110 collection points in the province, including 7 points in Badin district, 4 in Jamshoro, 5 in Sujawal, 4 in Malir, 4 in Thatta. 4 in Dadu, 5 in Ghotki,  3 in Jacobabad, 7 in Kambar Shahdadkot, 3 in Kashmore, 9 in Khairpur, 4 in Larkana, 4 in Shikarpur, 5 in Sukkur, 4 in Hyderabad, 3 in Matiyri, 7 in Mirpur Khas, 5 in Naushahro Feroz, 6 in Sanghar, 10 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 3 in Tando Allahyar, 3 in Tando Muhammad Khan, 1 in Tharparkar and 4 collection points have been set up in Umarkot district of  where this money will be provided to the registered farmers.

Secretary Agriculture Aijaz Ahmed Mahesar said that the process of registration of growers has also been completed and the process of double verification will also be completed in 2 days.

Chief Secretary Sindh said that the money has been provided by the Government of Sindh, so any kind of irregularity will not be tolerated. He directed the Commissioner to lodge FIR against persons involved in any kind of corruption and wrongdoing. (PR)

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Mirpurkhas

The horticulture and livestock farmers have potential to build their business and contribute to national economy in a way that increases livelihood, sustains resilience, and upholds inclusive development.

It transpired during an 8-day ‘Agri-Business Management and Marketing’ capacity building activity which concluded on February 14, 2023 at a local hotel in Mirpurkhas.

Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), Ministry of Industries and Production had organized this training in collaboration with Thardeep Rural Development Program (TRDP). The training was part of a project called Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP).

GRASP is a six-year project designed to reduce poverty in Pakistan by strengthening small-scale agribusinesses in two provinces: Balochistan and Sindh. It helps small and medium-sized enterprises in horticulture and livestock become more competitive by making improvements at all levels of the value chain.

GRASP, a European Union funded project for poverty reduction and sustainable inclusive economic growth in rural Pakistan, is being implemented by International Trade Centre (ITC) in partnership with Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) & Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Focused on selected districts of Balochistan & Sindh, ITC and its implementing partners are providing technical assistance in Livestock and Horticulture sectors for improving commercial viability of MSMEs and for a conducive policy regime.

“The training has contributed to enhancement of knowledge of horticulture and livestock farmers regarding business practices including farming business and management, business opportunities in modern agriculture, digital marketing, innovation, importance of cooperative business model, Concepts and benefits of linkages, networking and marketing and sales of cooperatives, Calculation of cost and price, concept and components of a business plan, and business plan for farming”, said Mukesh Kumar, Project Director GRASP and Provincial Chief Sindh SMEDA.

He said that GRASP looks at creating gender-inclusive employment and income opportunities in the rural areas through targeted support to both the public and private sectors.

Feroz Ahmed, Manager Legal and Training Services SMEDA, Sindh, Naeem Ansari, Project Manager GRASP Sindh and Balochistan, Project Coordinators Sindh Furqan Hyder Shaikh, Ms. Shumaila Naz, and Field Officers Sindh Ghulam Shabbir Jarwar and Ms. Zoiba Shaikh also put light on the importance of GRASP project in farming business empowerment and boost to the agri-entrepreneurship in Sindh.

The guest of honor Chetan Mal, Director Agriculture Extension, and other dignitaries praised the SMEDA-ITC-EU and partners for initiating this training and wished opined that such activities are crucial for boosting local businesses in horticulture and livestock and should be continued for larger interest of national economic development. (PR)

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By Sanjeet Bagcchi

 NEW DELHI

The pumping up of groundwater by Bangladesh’s 16 million smallholder farmers has led to a massive storage capture of underground reservoirs rivalling the storage capacity of the world’s large dams, according to a study.

Published in Science, the study said that groundwater-fed irrigation had transformed much of Bangladesh’s single-crop, rain-watered floodplains into highly productive double-cropping and, in places, triple-cropping lands to make the country the world’s fourth highest producer of rice.

The researchers say the sustainable irrigation process could be replicated in other areas affected by the impacts of climate change which is intensifying extreme weather events worldwide.

In Bangladesh, 90 per cent of rainfall occurs during the May to October wet season with the rest of the year considered the dry season. According to the study, following droughts that hit the country between 1992 and 1994, there was a rapid increase in the use of groundwater.

The researchers explain how the pumping up of water during the dry season reduces groundwater levels that are restored by leaching from the ponds, rivers and lakes during the monsoon months. The capture of surface water leads to recovery of groundwater levels and helps limit flooding in a process the study authors call “The Bengal Water Machine”.

“The Bengal Water Machine is a nature-based solution, requiring a comparatively minimal intervention — i.e. shallow irrigation wells that are less than 100 meters below ground level — relative to dams, to increase seasonal capture of freshwater that would otherwise drain to the Bay of Bengal,” said Mohammad Shamsudduha, corresponding author of the study affiliated with University College, London.

The researchers analyzed one million weekly groundwater-level observations from 465 wells across Bangladesh, taken between 1988 and 2018.

Over the past 40 years, according to the study, monsoon rainfall has recharged 75 to 90 cubic kilometers of water in Bangladesh, a volume equivalent to twice the reservoir capacity of the Three Gorges Dam in China.

Shamsudduha noted that the phenomenon has enabled farmers to transform the country’s economy and food security, and improved resilience to climate change.

“In order to benefit from the operation of the Bengal Water Machine, we recommend identifying the potential areas where further freshwater capture is possible under current and projected changes in monsoon rainfall and irrigation demand,” Shamsudduha told SciDev.Net. “Continuous monitoring of groundwater levels and abstraction can ensure the sustainability of the Bengal Water Machine”.

Shafi Mohammad Tareq, professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences in Jahangirnagar University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, told that the study has implications for the future estimation of groundwater recharge and use in the agriculture sector for the production of food grain in densely populated Bangladesh.

According to the researchers, wider replication of the study findings may be possible, for example in Vietnam’s Mekong delta and the delta of China’s Huang He River which are prone to the effects of climate change. The Bengal Water Machine can help augment international food security and durability to climate extremes caused by global warming, they said.

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Courtesy: SciDev.Net (Published on October 3, 2022)

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Karachi

Jointly with the progressive farmers, growers and agri-based SME experts, the GRASP Sindh has formally formed a provincial level Farmer Advisory Council (FAC).

The FAC comprises of the technical, legal, gender, policy experts, farmer associations, academia and research organizations, civil society and advocacy forums on horticulture and Livestock Sectors to mobilize farmers and growers to facilitate and promote policy framework dialogue and agri-based SME competitiveness in Sindh.

A wide range of the progressive farmers and agri-based business organizations participated in the event, including Mehmood Nawaz Shah, Vice President Sindh Abadgar Board, Ms. Mukhtiar Naz Dharejo, a land lady, a progressive farmer and President Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Women wing, Mehboob ul Haq, Chief Sindh Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF), Mustafa Nangraj, Director Information Agriculture Extension, Ms. Khalida Salim from Federation of Chambers of Commerce and industries (FPCCI), Nabi Bakhsh Sathio, Senior Vice President, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture.

The provincial Lead GRASP Sindh, Ms. Shabnam Baloch elaborated how the Advisory Council will have an advisory term of reference, with focus on the capacity building of the overall farming and agricultural entrepreneurship. It will improve the linkages between the service providers, ABSPs including researchers, training institutes.

The participants discussed that the FAC, a gender-inclusive body, containing small holder and women farmers, would build grower’s capacity on technical areas, with focus on policy development, business advocacy, they would participate in the PPDs and regulatory reform committee meetings.

The participants agreed that the FAC would be a joint advisory council for horticulture and livestock sectors, represented by government line departments, farmer organizations, civil society, academia, representative bodies, chambers, business associations and research institutions. GRASP Provincial Office would serve as FAC secretariat till the length of period; Sindh Agriculture University will take over for the sustainability of this initiative. Besides, FAC will discuss the policy issues affecting farmers in different ways (access to inputs, access to finance, access to information and extension services, yield per acre, access to innovative technologies etc.). The FAC would Suggest priority areas for policy interventions, to provide advisory platform for farmers and growers to improve and develop agri-business SMEs in target areas, assist GRASP in identifying capacities building needs of famers and service institutions (ABSPs) in livestock and horticulture sectors, encourage gender inclusiveness in all interventions in the sector, Promote market-oriented approach among famers and growers, Facilitate farmers and growers in access to financing facilities i.e. awareness raising activities, promote value additions in livestock and horticulture sectors in Sindh, review, analyze and recommend policy/regulatory framework improvements to concerned bodies, Advise and facilitate line government institutions and executing agencies in implementing relevant policies/laws/rules etc. relevant to agriculture sector

Growth for the Rural Advancement & Sustainable Progress (GRASP) has already reviewed Sindh Agricultural policy, Livestock, Sindh Animal Compound Feed Act, Sindh Animal Disease Prevention and Control Act, FMD strategy, Sindh Dairy Sector Improvement Strategy, Provincial SME strategy, are already in process.

GRASP is a six-year (EU-funded with a budget €48,000,000.) project designed to reduce poverty in Pakistan by strengthening small-scale agribusinesses. GRASP is implemented by the International Trade Centre – the joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization – with active participation from local partners. (PR)

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By GR Junejo

Mithi: Government of Sindh will provide 80 percent subsidy on the high-efficiency irrigation system to farmers across Sindh while bio-saline agriculture will be adopted as an official agriculture practice to combating the water scarcity problems in the province.

This was announced by Abdul Rahim Soomro, Secretary of Agriculture during a One Day Conference on Bio-saline Agriculture in Arid Areas of Sindh organized by the District Administration of Tharparkar, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company, Agriculture Department, and other partners on Saturday.

The conference gathered government and private sector experts, academicians, farmer organizations, development sector organizations, and media to discuss the potential of bio-saline agriculture opportunities in combating water availability woes.

The conference unanimously passed recommendations for policy actions for the Government of Sindh to translate them into policy actions. The conference said saline water resources of Thar may be considered an opportunity and the experience of organizations like Thar Foundation may be utilized for furthering the practice across the region.

Salt tolerant plants should be introduced along with regular water quality monitoring and linkages between the public and private sector, academia, and farmers should be developed for experience sharing and introduction of the high-efficiency irrigation system. The establishment of nurseries and creating demand of bio-saline agriculture products by growing salt eating halophyte crops and fish farms on saline water should be practiced in all arid areas of Sindh, it was recommended.

Chairing the concluding session, Secretary Agriculture, Abdul Rahim Soomro said recommendations of the conference will be raised with Sindh Cabinet for translating policies into action programs for adopting bio-saline agriculture practice in Sindh.

He announced that it has been principally decided by Sindh government to provide an 80 percent subsidy to the farmers of Sindh. The decision will be formally approved by the Sindh Cabinet, he added.

He also announced that on the pattern of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, Sindh Agriculture Research Council is being established to promote agriculture productivity in Sindh. A committee on Bio-saline Agriculture shall also be formed representing all the public and private sector stakeholders and academia and corporate and development sector organizations of Sindh.

The secretary agriculture also said that the provincial government wants to see Thar turn into a green region through bio-saline agriculture initiatives by adopting high efficiency irrigation techniques.

Deputy Commissioner Tharparkar, Muhammad Nawaz Soho in his welcome address said that the district administration would provide all-out support to promote bio-saline agriculture in the region to combat droughts.

Ahmed Munib, Director of Site Operations, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) said that 80 billion cubic meters of bio-saline water is available in Tharparkar underneath the coal reserves. “SECMC has utilized the same water and produced high yield crops in last three years proving the concept that Thar has enormous potential of bio-saline agriculture.

Vice-Chancellor of Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, Dr. Fateh Muhammad Marri, Vice-Chancellor of NED University Karachi, Dr. Sarosh Lodhi, Bhai Khan Shar, Vice-Chancellor of the Shaheed Allah Bux University of Arts, Design and Heritage, Jamshoro, Dr. Bilques Gul, Director, Institute of Halophyte Utilization, University of Karachi, agriculturists, Mahmood Nawaz Shah, Nabi Bux Sathio, Mustafa Ujjan of SIAPEP, Dr. Abdul Razzak of Asuk University, Turkey, Sohail Awan of Human Development Foundation were among the prominent speakers, while Mohsin Babbar of Thar Foundation moderated the conference proceedings.

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