THE Balochistan Organic Agriculture Policy 2024 was an important step in the right direction. At a time when climate change, water scarcity and soil degradation threaten rural livelihoods, the policy recognises that chemical-intensive agriculture is neither ecologically sustainable nor economically secure in the long term. Yet the real test lies in implementation. The policy’s impact will depend on whether it genuinely centres small farmers, women producers and food sovereignty — or whether it becomes another market-led reform that leaves structural inequalities intact.

The policy responds to the growing global demand for organic products and understandably seeks to position Balochistan within that opportunity. However, organic agriculture is more than certification and export value chains. At its core, it is about restoring soil life, conserving water, strengthening local food systems and enhancing farmer autonomy.

If the primary emphasis remains on certified commodities for distant markets, the province risks narrowing organic agriculture into a commercial niche rather than allowing it to transform diversified production systems that serve both income generation and household food security. Benefits must accrue first to........

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