WHAT IS THE KFM AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?

At the initiative of 6 extraordinary individuals and their circle of friends and supporters the Karachi Farmers' Market (KFM) has opened its doors to the public for the first time in August 2015. Tofiq Pasha of Tofiq Pasha's World, Muzammil Niazi of Sungold Organic, Laila Jamil of Dumloti Organics, Sara Nasiruddin ( the current manager of the KFM) , Qasim Tareen (organic farmer and advocate for sustainable practices) and Maheen Zia are the pioneers in what they call cleaning up the food chain. The market has been going and growing strong for the past couple years and it needs your continuous support and commitment to bring long lasting and meaningful changes to food and consumption as we perceive it today. Why is that any of your business? Why should you invest your time and effort in lending a hand? Let's break it down to a few simple and yet essential points.

1. The KFM stands for more than just making money.

Yes, it is a market and, by definition a place of business transactions and commercial exchange but in essence it is much more than that. It is a community of like-minded people who come together in support of each other. The vendors put their utmost effort in providing pure, high quality products to their customers, who in turn support the market by choosing to purchase fresh local goods, produced using natural ingredients or with sustainable practices. The founders and managers of the market carefully oversee sales and strictly scrutinize vendors' production practices as well as packaging standards.

Note: Did you know that some of the KFM vendors don't even break even from the sales they make?And yet they still continue working hard and investing their time and money just because they know it's the right thing to do.

2. The KFM supports local producers.

Despite Pakistan being defined as an agricultural country the heart breaking reality of the current life standard of farmers is that they can barely afford the roti that they produce the wheat for. Many agricultural crops are imported from abroad for kickbacks when they could easily be produced locally and local crops are paid next to nothing.Farm workers are, what I would argue, the hardest workers of them all. Farming is risky, it depends on the weather and water availability (which, we know, is an issue), it requires long term commitment and continuous work in harsh conditions. The outcome is not guaranteed and the income needs to last for 6+ months, until the next crop is ready to harvest. Not to mention all the health damaging chemicals workers need to deal with; most of them suffer from kidney and liver disease as a result of consuming chemically contaminated well water.

As gloomy and depressing as this all sounds, the path towards a solution is opening up for all of us to walk on. Supporting small scale producers who've decided to take matters into their own hands to preserve the quality of the products they put out as well as the well being of the individuals involved in the production process and lower the environmental impact of their practices is the single most important step to take in the pursuit of setting things right and encouraging other farmers to switch over to sustainable food production. Endorsing this model of action will benefit all community members and facilitate financial recompense to those truly deserving for their efforts to restore healthy and balanced production practices.

3.The KFM advocates for more than just healthy eating.

Without a holistic approach to production and consumption, natural/organic product customers and vendors can easily fall prey to the exploitative nature of the market. Many a natural product brands work on the same corporate model as their synthetically enhanced producing counterparts, exploiting their workers for cheap labor, over-packaging their products and advocating for over-consumption practices that are just not sustainable for the planet but are very financially profitable. The tagline "let's celebrate nature" is a trademark of natural and organic product offers but celebrating nature is not about "gulping up" natural resources , it's about mindfully consuming what we need and restoring the balance of natural cycles, both within the body and mind and in production practices and environment, choosing packaging that won't damage the earth's and , with it, our health, it's about thinking ahead and taking your bag with you when you shop,it's about accepting what's available to you and showing gratitude for it, it's about refusing to give in to over indulgence and consciously supporting even distribution of wealth by paying workers their due, it's about a world where we all feel responsible for each other...wouldn't that be a wonderful world?

The Karachi Farmers' Market advocates for all of the above and strives to create an environment where making small yet meaningful changes in our practices is not only encouraged but also called for because going natural is not about caring only for our own state of health, feeding ourselves the best of things no matter what the cost; such attitude does nothing but feed our ego.We should rather strive to detach ourselves from our ego and become one with the community by sharing resources, knowledge, responsibility and in the effort to build a better future and the KFM offers a platform to work on exactly that.

4. The KFM creates a direct link between consumers and producers.

In a world where product tampering is so commonplace that we are constantly haunted by the question "How do you know it's pure?" getting in touch with the actual producers of the products we buy seems a distant and hopeless dream. By the the time the goods reach us in the markets they will have gone through so many middle men and handlers that it's hard to guarantee non-adulteration along this chain. Not to mention that we, as consumers who have no idea who the producers are, can't be certain of their practices and working conditions let alone their intentions. Producing companies have detached themselves so abruptly from the individuals of the market they cater to that we, as consumers, have been reduced to simple numbers in their eyes. It's hard to care for numbers and their well being, it's almost impossible to feel guilty for compromised and unsustainable practices when the bottom line favours the corporate bank account.

In the light of all this, the KFM provides a platform where buyers get in direct contact with producers who not only welcome constructive feedback in the attempt to improve their goods but many are also ready to graciously host you at their production sites and farms and walk you through their whole process so you can witness the working conditions. As social animals that we humans are, it's this connection to our fellow human beings that keeps our conscience alive and kicking, the feedback encourages vendors to work harder for better products and the transparency of the process invites customers to confidently invest in quality products that are born out of sweat and passion for the common good.

5. The KFM venue offers a safe, warm and family oriented atmosphere.

It's like one of those small villages where most people know and pleasantly greet each other. Vendors often endorse each other's work and products, the customers connect with their suppliers and gain information about alternative ways for the future while enjoying fresh food on offer and the good company of like minded people.

Why not, then, choose to support such an extraordinarily unique vision and attempt at setting things right before it's too late? The Farmers' Market is open to everyone on Sundays, from 9 am to 1 pm at the current venue, which is Haque Academy, DHA, Karachi.

Should you be interested to offer your support, inquire about vendor participation or get directly in touch with the organisers, you can always contact them at karachifarmersmarket@gmail.com or visit and like their facebook page to stay up to date with their offers, events and endorsed programs.