Today is celebrated as the Tamil New Year (a.k.a. Chitrai
Thirunal), Baisakhi (Punjab), Bihu (Assam) and Vishu (Kerala). It is also 124th
birth anniversary of the “principal architect” of the Indian Constitution - Dr.
B.R. Amedhkar a.k.a. ‘Babasahib’. Many reasons to celebrate, yet the
celebration will be muted across many states of India due to the damages done
by unseasonal rains in March-April 2015 to the Rabi crop (sown after the
monsoons and harvested in April/May) harvest.
March 2015 has been the “Wettest March in 100 years
in north, central India” according to the Indian Meteorological Department. It
is estimated that the rains over the last few weeks have damaged anywhere in anywhere
between 163 and 181 lakh hectares of land across 13 states as of the beginning
of March. Andhra joined the affected states with rains over the past few days
causing serious “agricultural and horticultural damage” in another 1 lakh acres
(that is approximately 40,469 hectares, according to the state Agriculture Minister,
“horticultural crops in about 1,600 hectares were damaged in Anantapur, Kadapa
and Kurnool districts according to preliminary estimates.”)
Thus this spring almost 30 percent of the Rabi crop (if you
consider that the total cultivable area in the current Rabi season is 600 lakh
hectare) has been decimated by unseasonal cloudbursts, rain, hailstorm, and
strong winds. Crops affected include wheat, mustard, jeera and coriander. Vegetables such as cauliflower, tomato have
also been affected. With a disturbed mango flowering season in Gujarat and
Maharashtra the royal fruit’s projected production has also been drastically
reduced.
Add this to the list of triggers of farmer suicide and you
have a very destructive season emerging. Despite compensations being announced,
both in the centre and the state, it remains to be seen whether farmers across
India can escape being trapped in further debt.
After watching the India
Matters episode “Fields of Despair” on NDTV to the plight of potato farmer
in West Bengal and the agriculture sector seems scary and depressing as hell:
Suicides as a result
of debt in the face of poor prices for the bumper crops of potato is leading to
the poorest of the farmers – sharecroppers who have almost no safeguards and
only debt and risks circling like vultures – to commit suicide. The rate
offered is lower than Rs. 2 per kilogram and as unsold, stockpiled potatoes
languish potato farmers seem to be reeling under unimaginable burdens. Caste,
politics, drinking, gambling, moneylenders and landlords, not to mention family
struggle combine to brew a toxic miasma that leads many hopeless farmers to opt
to consume pesticide and leave behind the debt and a dependent and devastated
family.
What is hard to see in the two situations – one natural the
other manmade - is the pattern of hopelessness. Is it right that when there is
so much innovative thinking on offer – and such success in online retaining –
can there not be a solution that saves the devastated.
Middle men, landowners and moneylenders seem to be seeing
all the profit. And there is a drastic change is prices from those offered to
farmers and consumers. A lot of potatoes and other crops rot as farmers
stockpile waiting for better prices. Is the grip of cartels so strong that
outsider cooperatives can’t purchase the produce at better prices from the
debt-ridden sharecroppers. Isn’t some refinancing and debt relief possible? Can
a solution be worked out without it being trapped in the vicious circle of
politics and caste?
Here’s hoping there is better seasons in store for India’s
farmer both weather-wise and price-wise. In the meantime it is hoped that
empowerment through education and community support can help the survivors get
out of the debt traps. Babasahib’s initiatives have influenced various spheres
of life and transformed the way India today looks at socio-economic policies,
education and affirmative action through socio-economic and legal incentives.
At a time when poor farmers are stuck in vicious debt traps at the mercy of the
weather, addictions, and moneylenders it is to be hoped that there are success
stories who have taken a leaf out of Babasahib’s teaching and embraced
educations and implemented innovations through better information.
The continued success and support of farming and farmers is a backbone to food security and the fight against hunger. When people are poor, ill, or/and hungry they can rarely think beyond the immediate crisis and innovate to achieve progress. The nation can progress steadily only if the sector that employs the most is secure. Farmer security is proportional to future food security.
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-matters-fields-of-despair-753975
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/rain-claims-six-lives-in-andhra-pradesh/article7100166.ece
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ill-timed-rain-damages-crops-in-1-8cr-hectares-across-13-states/articleshow/46681689.cms
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/unseasonal-rains-damage-standing-crops-in-rajasthan-government-announces-compensation-747128
No comments:
Post a Comment