From Inequalities to Inclusion: Sustainable Development for Smallholders

ABSTRACT In Pakistan's agricultural sector, smallholders persistently face operational and structural barriers that hinder their integration into broader development initiatives. This study investigates these barriers through an in‐depth analysis of a sample of 101 farming communities across Punjab. Employing a multi‐sited and pluralistic qualitative methodology, the study draws on participant observation, field visits, focus group discussions, and semi‐structured interviews with smallholders, large‐scale landlords, non‐governmental organisations (NGOs), microfinance institutions, market intermediaries, and international buyers. The findings reveal how entrenched power asymmetries, caste hierarchies, and political systems perpetuate structural inequalities that limit smallholders' access to markets, agricultural inputs, credit, and state‐led development initiatives. In response to these challenges, the study identifies various collaborative strategies emerging under the “Growing Together” initiative. These include peer‐to‐peer learning programs, agri‐cooperative formation, direct engagement with exporters, and access to sustainable finance. These initiatives, led by big landlords as “sustainable agriculturists” and young educated smallholder “change agents,” are reshaping power dynamics and enabling more inclusive agricultural development. By situating these practices within the structural‐functionalism framework, the study contributes to sustainability theory by demonstrating how context‐sensitive, culturally grounded strategies can support equitable transitions in structurally constrained environments. The research offers concrete, empirically grounded insights for policymakers and development practitioners seeking to advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8 (decent work and economic growth), 10 (reduced inequalities), and 11 (sustainable communities) through locally informed agricultural reform.