This paper examines the impacts of economic liberalisation, in particular the Agreement on Agriculture and TRIPs on mountain communities in northern Pakistan. It examines a) how these create new opportunities and threats affecting farmers rights, and b) what coping strategies have been developed in response. The study analyses peoples livelihood assets and how these have been affected by the Agreement on Agriculture and TRIPs and assesses the level of community awareness about the WTO. Findings include: • the communities studied are vulnerable as a result of the combined effects of the conflict between India and Pakistan and a lack of awareness of trade liberalisation and how they can respond to it effectively • many of the community owned natural resources, including medicinal plants are being unsustainably collected and sold to pharmaceutical companies at low prices, and there is a potential risk that the medicinal properties of the plants may be patented by the companies without benefiting local communities • there is a need for link roads to markets; storage, grading and packaging facilities; and processing plants • communities have little knowledge of the WTO and how it affects them Recommendations from the paper include: • the promotion of organic agriculture has the potential to enhance exports and benefit in particular subsistence farmers • the federal government should allocate development funds according to the formula applied for the in other four provinces • specific needs of the local communities should be assessed before making development decisions, and local communities should be consulted while formulating strategies for sustainable development • WTO capacity building initiatives should be diverted towards the northern areas • development expenditure should be increased to improve infrastructure facilities in the area • the export promotion bureau should find the markets for the agricultural products of the northern areas, as it does for other specific produce from various areas of Pakistan • special assistance should be provided to the communities for registering their plants, herbs, fruits and vegetables, to protect them from the potential threat of bio pirating. Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) 2002
