Indian farmers have never been assigned the status of an Entrepreneur nor have they themselves ever aspired for that. They face an Identity Crisis. Looking at the extraordinary increase in the number of suicides in M.P. and the surrounding areas one can easily notice the identity crisis being faced by he Indian farmers since time immemorial... Though there is technological advancement, IT boom et al the pathetic condition of agricultural practices India is the same for decades. Why do the Indian farmers have all of a sudden start committing suicides? The simple reason is the identity crisis that is being faced by them. They do not see themselves as entrepreneur rather they see themselves as hapless traders who grow a commodity and sell it in the market. If you look at the farmers in the developed nations, they undertake farming as a business and generate revenues as any other venture. Farmers in India on the other hand are still at the mercy of Govt. and the God (of rain).
3 Gs for farmers:
Govt.
God (the God of rain)
Grants
Grants and reforms have curbed the entrepreneur zeal of the farmers. Why do they have to beg for relief from the Govt. And today somehow when they have started taking an initiative for themselves is causing more damage than ever, damage to their own life, to their own family, committing suicides is not the way out.
Fact File:
*Rural households’ share in total households in India is 74%
*Agriculture households form 59% of rural households.
*Agriculture’s direct contribution to India’s GDP stood below 17% in 2006-07. It was 2.9% over the period 2000-01 to 2007-08 as a whole; but it stood at 5.9, 3.8, and 4.5% respectively over the three years ending 2007-08. (NSSO)
*40% of the farming community In India wants to quit agriculture, given the other opportunities. (The Hindu Business Line, Mar 21, 2008)
*Six in every ten households in rural India belong to farmers. Such a farmer even if he/she were to be in irrigated area, does not get employed for all the 365 days. (NSSO)
*Though the marginal and small landholdings (up to four hectares) account for 90% of total holdings in India, the area operated by them is just 51%. (Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural statistics at a glance, 2003)
*The large population which depends on agriculture for their livelihood cannot survive the financial crisis.
*Poverty, Hunger, and Malnutrition.
Causes for the plight of Indian agriculture
*Farmers are at the mercy of nature. Indian agriculture is still a gamble on the monsoon.
*Climate variability and change
*The declining rate of agricultural productivity
*Periodical policies of the Government
*Farmers are not assigned a prime place; no position as competitors in the market.
*Instability, lack of sustainable farm practices.
*No freedom to sell the products in the market.
*Changes in the agricultural policy of industrialized nations
Initiatives taken by the government
*Agriculture as a key issue in the five year plans.
*White revolution in 1970s
*Green revolution
*Periodical subsidies and loan waivers.
*The National policy for farmers-2007
*Top priority in the Eleventh plan, for the revival of the agricultural sector.
*Rashtriya Krish Vikas Yojna (RKVY), a Rs. 25000 Crore scheme, to encourage state governments to support agriculture.
*National Food Security Mission- an enhanced outlay of Rs.4882.5 Crore was committed during the period 2008-09 to 2011-12 for expanding irrigation, research and food security.
What can be done?
*As depicted in the picture below, the farming practices should be totally technology driven.
* An Agricultural practices regulatory body to be set to ensure farm practices on the commercial grounds.
* Listing of Agricultural farms in the stock exchange. Larger farms can be combined(as any other management practice) at Blocks and Tehsil level, every Block being a company run by a CEO and the farmers as employees, every farm must have a Manager, HR manager to look after his farm land.
*Partnership between the agricultural colleges and Department of Agriculture to provide for cooperative agricultural extension work.
* Developing practical applications of research knowledge. *Farm management for individual farmers. Extension agents should be appointed to teach farmers about marketing and helped farm groups organize both buying and selling cooperatives.
*At the same time, extension home economists should teach farm women-who traditionally maintained the household-good nutrition, canning surplus foods, house gardening, home poultry production, home nursing, furniture refinishing, and sewing-skills that helped many farm families survive the years of economic depression and drought.
* Farmers’ Clubs, Societies and Syndicates not only for promoting business but also the activities for overall personality development.
* Cost benefit analysis like any other commodity business the farm produce must be measured in terms of one farmer supporting the food need of 12 persons.
* Agriculture —research and educational programs help individuals learn new ways to produce income through alternative enterprises, improved marketing strategies, and management skills and help farmers and ranchers improve productivity through resource management, controlling crop pests, soil testing, livestock production practices, and marketing. * Leadership Development —trains extension professionals and volunteers to deliver programs in gardening, health and safety, family and consumer issues, and 4-H youth development and serve in leadership roles in the community.
* Community and Economic Development through local governments to investigate and create viable options for economic and community development, such as improved job creation and retention, small and medium-sized business development, effective and coordinated emergency response, solid waste disposal, tourism development, workforce education, and land use planning.
* For farm workers tending to animals LIVESTOCK WORKSHOPS should be organized to teach them scientific methods of calculating Livestock Numbers by Weather and Climate.
*Farm Journals, Magazines and bulletins where farmers are encouraged to report on their achievements and their methods of solving problems
*There should be emphasis on converting rural population into future customers and employees.
*A strict measure to locate the beneficiaries of the schemes like NREGS (National rural employment guarantee scheme)
*There should be treatment at par with cities rather than subsidies, employment guarantee or amnesty from govt.
*A paradigm shift from a commodity centered to human centered approach in agriculture sector.
*Opportunities for the farming community to deal with the ultimate customers directly.
*Farming operations are to be dovetailed in such a way that each farmer is fully employed throughout the year.
*Multiple crops and Crop rotation to be promoted.
*Technology to make a powerful agro-sector, e.g. drip irrigation as in case of Israel.
*The mindset of the farmers needs to be changed regarding the small land holdings that they can do better than the large farmer using technology.
*Farmers should be directed and guided on conservation, saving and effective use of water thereby promoting scientific water-shed development and water management.
*Farmer field school in the nodal centers of villages to train, direct and offer solution for many of the agriculture related problems in day to day operations.
*Market driven enterprises have to be created in every village like Sericulture, Horticulture, Poultry, Cattle- breeding, Agro-processing etc.
*Organized system of marketing in the sector.
*An efficient system of agricultural marketing.
*Streamlined agricultural production base from agrarian to commercial interest.
*A National level security movement could be a potential step.
*Agro-retail trading by the corporate giants should be used for the improvement of the sector rather than aiming for super normal profits.
*Ad-hoc agricultural policies that meet the political convenience of the day need to be avoided.
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