CAF in Pakistan

[Guest guest]

Take action today to help impede the expansion of factory

farming in Pakistan...

 

What has happened

The federal cabinet of Pakistan last week approved the

introduction of Corporate Agriculture Farming (CAF). Under the

terms of the new CAF policy, there will be no limit on the size of

corporate farms and no labor laws protecting workers on those

farms. There will be no import duties on the expensive

equipment needed for intensive animal agriculture and other

forms of corporate agriculture. All of this will promote intensive

production of commodities for export, such as meat and

genetically modified plants, at the expense of agro-biodiversity

and local food security.

 

For more background information, visit:

http://www.jang-group.com/thenews/jun2002-daily/20-06-2002/

main/main2.htm

http://www.jang-group.com/thenews/jun2002-daily/21-06-2002/

metro/i2.htm

 

Why you should care

This policy change will pave the way for US-style factory farms in

Pakistan. Southeast Asia is one of the areas in which the meat

industry wants to increase both production and consumption, so

you can be sure that the relevant corporations will jump at the

opportunity. Already, even before this new law, there have been

efforts to introduce intensive poultry production in Pakistan. Local

environmentalists want to stop this process but will need help.

 

What you can do

Activists in Pakistan have asked for international help in

opposing CAF. The government of Pakistan has shown itself to

be sensitive to international opinion. This is one instance where

letters from organizations and concerned citizens really might

make a difference. A sample text is provided below. Use it as is

or, even better, take a few moments to rephrase it into your own

words. Feel free to add any examples of detrimental impacts of

factory farming your own or other countries. Keeping in mind the

interests of the recipients, stress the ways that factory farming

hurts people and the environment.

 

Send your letter to as many of the addresses provided as

possible. At minimum, send it by email to President General

Musharraf and Pakistan's diplomatic mission to your country.

Please send a copy of whatever you send to me, so that I can

monitor the success of this call to action.

 

Sample text

I write to urge His Excellency, the President of Pakistan to

reconsider the recent decision concerning Corporate Agriculture

Farming (CAF) in Pakistan. At the recent World Food Summit in

Rome, Pakistan was correct in asserting that food security can

only be obtained and maintained through sustainable poverty

reduction. The implementation of CAF in Pakistan will have the

opposite effect, worsening the position of the rural poor and

further degrading valuable natural resources. The inevitable

consolidation of farms will displace small farmers and favor

unsustainable production of cash crops for export over

sustainable production of healthy food for the people of Pakistan.

Pakistan and its people will become even more vulnerable to

changes in international markets and therefore less able to

maintain true independence.

 

CAF is a western method of food production that will benefit

multinational corporations rather than the people of Pakistan.

The kinds of practices favored by corporate agriculture are not

consistent with the cultural values of the people of Pakistan and

often involve extreme cruelty to animals or severe pollution of the

environment. I hope that, instead of embracing CAF, Pakistan

will embrace the traditional skill, wisdom, and energy of its

farmers and workers. Non-profit organizations within Pakistan

can provide technical assistance concerning new farming

techniques that are both culturally appropriate and

environmentally sustainable. In this way, Pakistan can be a

model of independent development, showing other countries

that it is possible and practical to maintain both food security and

cultural integrity.

 

Addresses

General Pervaiz Musharraf

President of Pakistan

Chief Executive Secretariat

Islamabad, Pakistan

Ph# ++92-51-9222666

Fax# ++92-51-9270205 ++92-51-9204632

E-mail: CE

 

E-mail list of Pakistan's diplomatic missions abroad:

http://www.forisb.org/Email-List.htm

 

Addresses and telephone numbers of Pakistan's diplomatic

missions abroad: http://www.forisb.org/pakmissions.html

 

Mr. Khair Muhammad Junejo

Minister of Food Agriculture & Livestocks

Room# 307, Pak Secretariat, Block B

Islamabad, Pakistan

Ph#++92-51-9210088, ++-92-51-9208707

Fax# ++92-51-9221246

 

Mr. Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa

Secretary

Ministry of Food Agriculture & Livestocks

Pak Secretariat, Block B

Islamabad, Pakistan

Ph# ++92-51-9210351

Fax# ++92-51-9221246

 

Mr. M. Shafi Niaz

Advisor to Chief Executive on Food Agriculture & Livestocks

Room # 514, Chief Executive Secretariat #2

Islamabad, Pakistan

Ph# ++92-51-9223427

Fax# ++92-51-9224673