BALI: It isn't just Pakistan's U-turn on the demand for a food security package that has surprised many. But having done so, negotiators from across the border are coming up with arguments that most experts are finding hard to believe.
A Pakistan official, who did not wish to be identified, said that the proposal to remove the cap on subsidy levels will impact sustainable agriculture in South Asia. "We have seen the impact of climate change and natural resources have come under stress," said the official.
The negotiator, who is one of the senior-most members of the delegation, then went on to suggest that India should change the way it provides subsidies, arguing that countries ranging from Brazil to Bangladesh, Mexico and even Pakistan were moving to income-support programmes instead of production support that the government offered. "You need to delink the feeding programme from subsidies. Cash transfer is a win-win for everyone," the official said.
