By Professor Dr. Muhammad Sarwar, TI
Dean, Postgraduate Studies and Research,
The University of Lahore
In a country with a population exceeding 250 million, Pakistan’s food system stands at a dangerous crossroads. The agricultural sector-once the backbone of the national economy-is now under severe distress due to a range of interconnected crises: food insecurity, climate volatility, water scarcity, soil degradation, market distortions and policy neglect. At the epicentre of this crisis is the farming community, which continues to work under strenuous conditions with minimal recognition, institutional support or economic return.
Despite their unmatched role in feeding the nation, Pakistan’s farmers are among the most economically vulnerable segments of society. They face not only the wrath of nature but also structural barriers that stifle their productivity, profitability and dignity. Unless urgent reforms are enacted, Pakistan risks a full-blown food security emergency in the coming years.
What Is a Sustainable Food System?
A sustainable food system ensures access to healthy, safe, affordable food for all citizens, while safeguarding the ecological foundations necessary for future generations. It spans the entire value chain-from production and processing to distribution and consumption-and emphasizes equity, biodiversity, efficient resource use, and climate resilience (High Level Panel of Experts, 2014). Central to this vision is the empowerment and prosperity of farmers, without whom the system cannot function.
The Crisis of Farmer Disempowerment
A critical but often ignored issue is the disempowerment of Pakistan’s farmers due to price capping, policy restrictions and exploitative supply chains. Farmers are unable to receive fair returns for their produce-be it grains, vegetables, milk, meat, or fruits-because of government-imposed price controls and bans on inter-district and inter-provincial movement of agricultural commodities. These restrictive policies are not only anti-market but anti-farmer, stripping rural producers of the basic right to sell their produce where prices are competitive.
Meanwhile, the cost of agricultural inputs has skyrocketed. Fertilizers, diesel, electricity, pesticides, insecticides and water charges continue to rise steeply, eroding profit margins. Despite these pressures, Pakistan’s farmers have not received any significant subsidies in the past many years-a stark contrast to most countries, where agricultural subsidies remain a cornerstone of food policy. From the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to India’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime and China’s input subsidy programs, farmers around the world are shielded against market volatility and rising production costs.
Without proportionate increases in commodity prices or state support, Pakistani farmers are forced to sell at below-subsistence rates. This chronic underpayment has led to widespread demoralization, with many smallholders abandoning agriculture altogether-a deeply alarming trend for a country dependent on domestic food production.
The Exploitative Role of Middlemen
One of the most debilitating features of Pakistan’s agricultural market is the unchecked control of middlemen or “arthis”. These intermediaries, who operate with monopolistic power in the supply chain, absorb the lion’s share of profits while offering farmers a fraction of the true market value of their produce. In many cases, middlemen trap farmers in cycles of debt through advance loans tied to the compulsory sale of produce at predetermined, often unfair prices. To eliminate this structural exploitation, farmers must be given direct access to markets, enabling them to bypass intermediaries and retain the fruits of their labor.
Global Model: Farmers’ Markets as a Game-Changer
In many countries, government-supported farmers’ markets have proven to be a transformative solution. These markets allow farmers to sell directly to consumers in regulated, state-owned spaces, ensuring fair pricing and cutting out exploitative middle layers.
- Russia has established hundreds of state-run agricultural bazaars, providing free or subsidized stalls to local producers.
- In India, the government has introduced e-NAM (National Agricultural Market) and supported Kisan Mandis in states like Punjab and Haryana.
- Turkey operates municipal farmers’ markets (Halk Pazarları) that ensure producer-consumer linkage with oversight from local authorities.
- Brazil runs Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) and municipal direct-sale markets, supporting smallholder participation in urban food supply.
- In the United States and Canada, farmers’ markets have been institutionalized with local government zoning and seasonal permits, allowing transparent, traceable trade.
- China, too, has created Green Markets in urban centre, often funded and managed by local governments to improve access to fresh food and raise rural incomes.
Pakistan must replicate such models. The establishment of farmers’ markets on government-owned land in every tehsil and district can offer a lifeline to smallholders. These markets should include cold storage facilities, price display boards, quality grading stations and digital payment options, all under transparent public oversight.
Global and National Food System Challenges
The broader crisis in Pakistan’s food system mirrors global inefficiencies. Nearly 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted annually worldwide (FAO, 2013). In Pakistan, food loss is exacerbated by poor storage, outdated irrigation, soil depletion and limited access to markets. Agriculture consumes more than 90% of the country’s freshwater (World Bank, 2020), and 30% of arable land is degraded (FAO, 2015). At the same time, malnutrition and undernourishment persist at alarming levels. We are both producing inefficiently and distributing inequitably.
Features of a Sustainable Food System
- Fair Farmer Compensation: Market-based pricing and removal of artificial caps
- Subsidized Inputs: Government-supported access to fertilizers, water, and power
- Soil and Water Restoration: Organic practices, crop rotation, and water-saving technologies
- Efficient Value Chains: Investment in logistics, storage, and processing
- Farmers’ Markets: Government-run marketplaces for direct-to-consumer sales
- Movement Liberalization: Removal of restrictions on inter-provincial commodity transport
- Agricultural Research & Innovation: Funding for climate-smart agriculture
- Food Literacy: Nutrition education and responsible consumption
- Smart Subsidy Governance: Direct digital transfers to deserving farmers
- Public-Private Partnerships: Technology and infrastructure through collaboration
Policy Recommendations: A Call for Urgent Action
To revive agriculture and secure long-term food security, the Government of Pakistan must adopt a comprehensive, farmer-first policy agenda:
- End Price Capping and Movement Bans: Let farmers sell freely and fairly
- Establish Farmers’ Markets Nationwide: Use public land to set up regulated bazaars
- Reinstate Smart Subsidies: Provide targeted support for inputs, especially for smallholders
- Modernize Storage and Transport: Reduce food losses post-harvest
- Reform Credit Systems: Offer zero- or low-interest loans to reduce dependency on middlemen
- Protect Farmer Rights: Legislate against exploitative practices by intermediaries
- Promote Farmer Cooperatives: Encourage collective bargaining and pooled resources.
- Launch a National Food Security Council: To lead strategy, monitoring, and inter-provincial coordination
Conclusion
A sustainable food system is not a utopia; it is a survival imperative. We cannot expect to nourish a population of over 250 million if we continue to disempower and disenfranchise the very farmers who grow our food. The middleman-driven market structure must be dismantled and direct access to consumers facilitated through state-supported mechanisms.
Pakistan’s path to food sovereignty lies not in subsidy withdrawal or price control but in strategic investment, regulatory fairness and rural empowerment. Farmers are ready to feed the nation-but only if they are freed from the chains of exploitation and supported by an enabling policy environment. The time for systemic reform is now.
References
EAT-Lancet Commission. (2019). Food, planet, health: Healthy diets from sustainable food systems.
Food and Agriculture Organization. (2013). Food wastage footprint: Impacts on natural resources.
Food and Agriculture Organization. (2015). Status of the world’s soil resources: Main report.
High Level Panel of Experts. (2014). Food losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems.
United Nations Environment Programme. (2021). Food waste index report 2021.
World Bank. (2020). Water in agriculture.
