'Ensure equitable price for farm produce'

Experts at Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) agricultural workshop today recommended all participating countries to ensure equitable price for agriculture produce and for continuance of Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime for both staple and other crops.
Farm experts also recommended subsidies on agriculture power, diesel, machinery, agriculture implements to increase accessibility by small holder farmers.
They also recommended that international trade polices should be framed in a way to protect the interest of developing counties while subsidies by developed countries should be rationalised.
On the concluding day of three-day conference, the delegates from Bangladesh, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and observers from Tanzania and Uganda unanimously resolved to work for effective and strong agricultural lobbying in all legislative bodies to safeguard the interest of farmers and to influence the budgetary allocations for the agriculture sector.

The farm meet recommended that each country must have a broad-based committee on agriculture having representation of all political parties with powers to allocate funds for agriculture sector, said an official release here.
The resolution stressed upon the need to develop linkages of agriculture sector with universities, researchers, scientists, donors, civil society groups, private sector, decision makers at country as well as international level.

The delegates resolved that time has come that elected representatives would have to assert themselves for introducing pro-agriculture laws and protect the interest of farmers, especially women working in the agriculture sector.
The meet also decided to review outdated, inefficient conflicting policies and gave a call to effectively implement inheritance laws for women.

Seeking more budget for agriculture sector and ensuring its optimum utilisation were other key issues that were deliberated in detail in the meet and it was decided that CPA plays an effective role in ensuring sufficient funds for agriculture sector and actively monitor related expenditure.
It was also decided to ensure independent audit of government spending on agriculture sector, said the release.
Advocating protection network for small and marginal farmers, the meet said that the participating countries should frame and implement pro-small farmer policies and integrate them in the institutional system.