BADIN (SHAFI MEMON) - A large number of fishermen, farmers and herdsmen, who are called small food producers participated in a rally in Badin city to mark the World Food Day as week of action on food sovereignty (9-16 October) being observed globally.

Organised jointly by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) and Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), the rally attracted crowds to resist land-grabbing, demanded rights to have safe water, indigenous seeds and land for food sovereignty.
The week-long activities include resisting against the projects like Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD), which sometimes prove manmade disasters, paralyzing local communities, depriving them of food resources. They urged upon the policy makers to avoid introducing genetically modified (GM) seeds, which threatens the human health.
The rally led by PFF chairperson Muhammad Ali Shah started from DCO roundabout and culminated outside the Press Club, where community leaders highlighted the indigenous rights to natural resources and demanded to save Indus delta, fresh water lakes and forests from threats of degradation.
Carrying banners and placards, shouting slogans, the community leaders pointed out how water bodies are being degraded, causing fears of food insecurity for fishermen, farmers and herdsmen. The sea is encroaching fertile land, making farmers, fishermen and herdsmen vulnerable to face natural calamities. Migration from one place to the other in search of better living and safe shelter has become the routine matter for coastal communities, they added.
Majority of farmers are sitting idle at their homes because of acute shortage of water in the tail end areas. They are unable to cultivate small pieces of lands. Persistent water shortage has also ruined natural grazing fields in the area, compelling herders to sell their animals.
Fishermen, who used to live a prosperous life 30 to 40 years back with having more fish catch, now are facing hunger and poverty, because the fish reserves have been destroyed due to unfavourable government policies, the campaigners said.