Sindh government not complying with agriculture inputs distribution criteria: report

A large number of flood-affected farmers have yet been deprived of agriculture inputs although the winter season is almost over. Sindh government officials are largely violating criteria set for agriculture input distribution in different districts, Business Recorder learnt on Monday.
This has been disclosed in Flood Situation Report prepared by People's Accountability Commission on Floods (PACF) available with Business Recorder through Sindh government sources. The key focus of the report is on the distribution of agriculture inputs among the flood-affected communities by the government.
According to report, the package for Rabi assistance to the flood-affected by the government, which is 50kg wheat seed, plus 50kg urea and DAP per acre. " Sindh Agriculture department has unfolded the fact that the government planned to distribute 55,000 metric tons wheat seeds, plus 55 metric tons urea and 600 metric tons sunflower whereas till 30th December wheat seeds have been completely distributed to districts and urea partially distributed to the 15-affected districts. Seed for sunflower is planned to distribute in January".
The report, while quoting different flood affected communities, said that according to the local communities in Badin district "district administration of Badin has prioritised landlords and denied assistance to small growers without knowing whether land is ready for crop or not".
It was estimated that 30 percent land is not cultivable due to either saline water or inundated whereas 30 percent land is cultivable but without seeds", report added. NDMA chairman claimed that 90 percent support in agriculture has been made by Federal and Sindh governments, that claimed the distribution of the 55,000 metric tons to the affected districts, but on ground such information is not confirmed, report mentioned.
The report quoting some independent experts, saying that "imaginary assessment of inundation situation is not reliable due to technological constraints and recession trend has been slowed due to the submerged irrigation system and artificial resistance by influentials to natural drainages, claiming the writ of the government at district level".
The report added that "economic development of Sindh largely depends on the progress and growth of agriculture sector; around 80 percent of people in the affected area depended on agriculture - including livestock for a living". About inundation status, the report quotes that "preliminary information from NDMA, 1.6 million acres of crop area have been destroyed by the flood and pre-harvest crop losses include rice, vegetables, cotton, and sugarcane". "Up to 67 percent of food stocks and 73 percent of crops in affected districts have been destroyed or damaged, and more than 36 percent of livestock have perished or been sold", report adds.
The report said, "the sugarcane crop had generally escaped damage and the rice crop was partially affected". Report adds in excessive damages that it happened in Badin district and coastal areas where LBOD funnelled large quantum of water from upstream areas prior to its ultimate delivery to sea. The rice crop generally escaped damage". "The extent of damage is around 0.284 million tons" report adds.
Talking about the government response "Rehabilitation department and provincial disaster management authority government of Sindh is the focal points at provincial level to address the issues/ concerns relating to the flood response 2011". The report has recommended that government should involve the local flood-affected communities, civil society representatives and other stakeholders to ensure transparency in the process of agriculture input distribution. The report has also suggested to the government to speed up the agriculture-input distribution as the distribution should complete on time and the poor landowners can ensure timely cultivation of their winter crops.