Open Forum
New Delhi, 4 November
2020
Agriculture Reforms
FOCUS ON SMALL FARMERS VITAL
By Dhurjati Mukherjee
Agricultural reforms
are imperative in our country as these have a high potential to look after a
major segment of the population. There is need not just to increase
productivity, but also to ensure that farmers get a better deal and are assured
of higher returns. However, there is a lacuna for various reasons and the
government too is not forthcoming.
The system is such
that not just farmers but middlemen and traders have been the intended
beneficiaries. Even the M S Swaminathan Commission Report suggested
implementing the C2 (complete costs) +50 per cent formulation. At the same
time, there has been talk, over the years, of diversification of crops for
better returns but such change has only been resorted to by the big and medium
farmers.
The whole picture in
the agricultural sector needs to focus on small farmers, who have to struggle and
hard for a livelihood. Every year there are various problems such as floods or
drought as also soil salinization, pest infections etc. This is reflected from
the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) estimates, which showed that rural
indebtedness had risen by 12 per cent between 1993 and 2013 which may have gone
up to around 18 per cent presently.
Successive
governments have done precious little for small farmers and sharecroppers over
the years as a result of which this section of the farm community has suffered
greatly. There were no efforts to form cooperatives by mobilizing 10 to 15
farmers so that the integrated land holding becomes lucrative. Also the Indian Council
for Agricultural Research (ICAR) has done little to transfer technology to the poor
farmers and helped them increase their earnings.
Undoubtedly, the big
farmers have been largely helped by the government policies which seem to favour
them. The technocrats at the higher echelons of power have failed to understand
the sheer problems faced by small farmers and how these should be addressed and
redressed. All talk of reforms are formulated, keeping in view the benefits
that can be extended to big farmers and traders of agricultural produce, the
latter have over the years exploited the farmers in various ways.
Apparently, this move
towards corporatisation of agriculture started a few years back, A committee
headed by BJP veteran, Shanta Kumar, recommended as early as 2015 the
encouragement of private players in agriculture trade, including procurement
and storage, deregulation of the fertilizer sector and reduction in the number
of beneficiaries under the Food Security Act. At the same time it is certain
that for the survival of small farmers there has to be a bare minimum support
price (MSP), for those having intimate knowledge of the backward villages in
the country, would tend to agree that this class of farmers cannot afford to go
far to sell their produce.
The new farm Acts may
help medium and big farmers who have the resources to go for higher prices,
ignoring the MSP. Recall, the Vajpayee government had initiated marketing and
contract farming reforms in 2003 through model a Act to be adopted by States
but the latter implemented it only half-heartedly. However, what has not been
given due consideration is the fact that without clear cut guidelines regarding
MSP, there could arise a situation where food security itself may be jeopardised.
Recently, Prime
Minister Modi said that procurement of food crop at MSP was a key element of
the country’s food security system and that his government was committed to it,
while speaking at the 75th session of the FAL. But surprisingly there was mp
mention of this in the recent legislation. Farm producers’ organisations (FAOs),
which Modi said are in the process of being established, should have been set
up before the legislations were formulated.
Meanwhile, in a
recent development, the Punjab Assembly passed three bills which create a
safety net for famers by making trading below the MSP punishable by law. These
bills clearly stated that any corporate house or trader who violates the MSP
will have to pay a fine and face imprisonment up to three years. Traders are
barred from operating in Punjab without a license issued by the State
government and the power to fix food grain stock limits is vested in the State
rather than the Centre.
This was followed by
Chhattisgarh, which passed a bill to enact its own farm laws to ‘protect’ its
farmers from the Centre’s agri-reform laws. One of the key provisions of the
amended Chhattisgarh Krishi Upai Mandi Act is to ensure that the farm produce
isn’t sold below MSP in mandis or elsewhere. This Act has been passed so that
farmers don’t get cheated by traders and businessmen. It may also be mentioned
that the 80 per cent of the State’s population comprise small and marginal
farmers, who don’t have the capacity to store their harvest or bargain for
better price.
One may mention here
that advanced countries have for long been pressing India to import foodgrains,
of which they have a surplus and export other crops where they are deficient.
India had been a foodgrain importer in the late 50s and 60s, buying wheat from
the US under PL 480. If the pressure is not thwarted, such imports may have a
great impact on the country’s economy.
In this context it
needs to be stressed that with the population increasing at a fast pace and
food security to be ensured to all people, there is need to ensure that food
production is not hampered. Also, keeping in view that small and marginal
farmers comprise around 70-75 per cent of the farming community, they do not
have the capacity to store their products and go elsewhere for better prices.
Thus, whatever reforms are initiated have to keep into consideration these
factors.
But it’s indeed
tragic that reforms initiated in this country are done without understanding
the ground reality i.e. plans that would benefit the maximum number of people.
As such, without bringing in the three Acts by the Centre, an expert committee
should have been formed with agricultural scientists and representative of
farmers’ organisations to get their views/recommendations on the subject.
Moreover, before
initiating any reforms, the condition of small and marginal farmers have to be kept
in mind and all action taken to increase the earnings of these sections as
agriculture and agro-based industries are vital for the country’s economic
growth and development. Availability of all types of food – not just cereals
but also pulses and vegetables -- at affordable prices is a dire necessity at
this juncture.---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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