Apathy of Indian Farmer

We as Indians were always proud of our Farmers. It was hard work and untiring efforts by the Farmers of our Country the Nation that was short of Foodstuffs was made self-reliant by way of green revolution.

But once again we failed to recognize the potential and the threats to the most important sector that too by our own systems, thus failed to not only encash the major resource but we allowed it to be killed.

Further the problem was multiplied by arranging loan melas for the farmers due to political considerations by erstwhile Union Minister of State for Finance Mr. Janardhan Pujari. The said loan Mela have played havoc not only with the farmers as they were lured by quick money that was not to be returned to banks on one side and at the same time it ruined the Nationalised Banks.

Every year the dream budgets are presented but the dreams turn sour. This year too so far as the agriculture is concerned there is a rise of Rs.10, 000-00 crores in agro credit to Rs. 75,000 crores.

What a special treatment to the backbone of the Country who had turned our nation by its hard work toil a food surplus from starvation. It has also been stated that the Finance Minister has devoted full fifteen minutes for agriculture in his budget speech. But what is good about this. We don’t see any reasons for celebrations or jubilations on this account. This year Budget our FM P. Chidambaram has reminded of Janardhan Pujari when he announced Rs. 60,000 crores package for the benefit of the farmers. But who would be the actual beneficiaries and what is the exact quantum of relief announced is a million dollar question. Again what is the policy the Government is likely to frame that the farmers do not end up in the clutches of the local Mahajans once again is a matter of concern. The following issues need consideration:-

i) Who would come to rescue of the farmers when they need the money?
ii) Who would ensure that the farmers actually buy the intended goods and do not resell in the open market to meet their needs?
iii) Who would ensure that farmers get remunerative price for the produce; and
iv) Last but not the least who would ensure that the Cane Mafia in cane growing States does not pocket the benefit of higher State Advised Cane Price and leave the actual grower in lurch?


It is unfortunate that with every increase in agro credit, the number of farmers committing suicides had been increasing that too due to inability of the farmers either to repay the loans or is unable to sell the crop or the crop has gone bad due to moisture.

One really wonders where all the money promised disappears and who are the real beneficiaries of the so-called Budgetary Promises?

Now let us have a look at the ground realities, that are just too harsh and plain, but the statistics as usual are far away from truth.

Right since 1947 till this day in the last 54 years it is the Indian farmer who has transformed the destiny of his motherland from a grain deficient state to grain surplus one. After the Green Revolution Indian farmer turned to White Revolution and created marks of his intentions and dedication of his intent and will making India not only self-sufficient but also producing much more than the demand irrespective of the increased population. In this regard efforts of Bharat Ratna C.S. Subramaniam the then Central Agriculture Minister combined with the dedication of Punjab Farmer, who even ventured to travel incognito to as far off a place as KEYLONG in Lahaul Valley of H.P. only to get the few seeds of dwarf wheat. Dr.L.S.Negi, Director of Agriculture H.P. in the decade of fifties carved out the lines for H.P. as one of the Apple State of the country, the Button Mushroom culture, which proved to be the right direction now and was further extended for its commercial culture with the farmers in Sonepat (Haryana) by Dr.S.S.Sohe, the Grape and Flower culture in Maharashtra is associated to the untiring efforts of Maharashtra farmer and the Cooperative movement, soundness of Dr.R.N.Chopra’s direction for the maintenance of Plant Bio-diversity, commercial culture of Medical & Aromatic Plants commercially paved the way for self sufficiency in Medical & Aromatic crops. This placed the country on the export map of essential oils and particularly Menthol crystals and Mentha oil. In a similar manner Indian farmer showed his prominence for tropical fruits, Spices beyond Vindhyas. Though Mango was the legacy of the Moghuls in U.P. it was the turn of the Maharashtra farmer in this for the export of Alphonso, Baiganpalli and the best export crop of the century i.e. Grapes.

First Five year Plan and the direction and thinking of Indian Govt. lead to the creation of following infrastructure for realisation of the defined goals for Indian economy in the sector of Food and Agriculture, which then saw the emergence of India as a self-sufficient state.

FOOD & AGRICULTURE
National Research Institutes: 4
1. Agriculture:
2. Veterinary
3. Dairy
4. Fisheries
Crop Science Institutes 13
Horticulture & Plantation Crops Institutes: 8
Annual Sciences Institutes: 9
Fisheries: 5
Agriculture Engineering: 4
Post Harvest Engg. & Technology: 1
Agricultural Universities: 28
Project Directorates: 74

SCIENCE & BIOTECHNOLOGY

Central Fruit Technology Research Institutes: 1
National Centre for Biotechnology: 1
CSIR Laboratories: 35

With so much of modern infrastructure, un-parallel in comparison with any other developing country, only Indian farmer has remained in the forefront. Very little of the research’s made by Indian Scientists has trickled to the benefit of the Farmer. Farmer thus in the tiring, disgusting, un-compromising circumstances has the courage to ask the following questions from the Government?

How many Scientists have come up after the decade of sixties for the cause of the farmer?
Why farmer has remained un-educated in Extension education, even with advanced and easiest analytical field methods in the calculation of his soil fertility?

VIGYAN KENDRAS: Mandate of Vigyan Kendras is an active link creation, dissemination of latest know-how in the field of the Scientists with the farmers in the program Lab-Land.
1. In this program how much coordination exists between the Scientists and the farmers, what is the frequency of Scientists visits to the villages whether fortnightly/monthly/bi-monthly? What practical experiences gained by these scientists have formed the basis of further research directions?

MOBILE SOIL TESTING & FOOD PROCESSING:
1. Are these units functional?
2. Whether Incharge Officers are regularly visiting villages, if so, what is the frequency in a month of these visits and how many persons got benefited and what are the basic achievements in employment generation and usage of the local products and soil samples analysed?

· SEEDS & PLANT MATERIAL:
1. Fruit plant, Nursery production courses have been initiated and imparted, what is the practical output of these, which was to be supervised by the Vigyan Kendras and Extension Education units?
2. Best of the plant Germplasm either is not available or if available in rationed quantities and also the sources of availability are known to the farmer?
3. Best of the improved varieties and their send production from the certified growers is hardly 1/4th of the total demand. The unscrupulous sources and un-registered seed producers meet Balance demand. What effective steps taken to meet this shortfall and create a sound system of seed production inspite of several legislations to this effect. There seems to be no coordination by the Deptt. with the farmer to know about his apathy’s?

EXTENSION EDUCATION:
This is meant to acquaint the farmers for all the latest researches and their application for crop culture, Marketing, storage and shelf life increase. The facts included in this area: -

PRE-HARVEST:
1. Integrated Food production (IFP
2. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
3. Organic culture
4. Crop Insurance
5. Water harvesting & management

POST-HARVEST:
1. Latest harvesting and handling techniques
2. Value addition through cleaning, Rinsing, Waxing/Coating, Drying, Grading, and Packing.
3. Storage & Cold Chain
4. Marketing – Domestic and Export
EXPOSITION:
1. Farmer tours of Universities, Institutes, Industry
2. World marketing reports and functioning of world export market, how these function?
3. Resource Financing
4. Agri.Equipment, Machinery availability, usage

VILLAGE COMMON RESOURCES:

1. Water ponds exist nearly in every Indian village for local usage of water. The scene is very attractive on the National and State Highways, suggesting utilization of this resource for Fish culture thereby generating not only production but employment too and also mange these free from breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
2. Wild plants of the species Jamun, Aonla, Mulberry, Khurmani, Bamboo and Banana grow abundantly, but have not been utilised for economic product and employment generation of Fruit Wines, Vinegar and other processed foods.

From the foregoing it is very clear that only very negligible aspects and a bare little knowledge has been shared with the farmers. Visit to the village will reveal in the un-awareness of the above facts being the answer of the farmer. This thus brings a doubt in the minds whether the Scientists deployed for this education are proficient to handle this gigantic magnitude of thinking and education? Whether the Scientists are provided with refresher courses as latest and new research’s come up? What is the frequency of such refresher courses for the Scientists, which is ultimate hope for the farmers’ exposition to latest technologies in the field?

CONTRIBUTION OF INDIAN FARMER

GIVE ME A LEVER LONG ENGOUGH AND I WILL MOVE THE WHOLE WORLD said “NEWTON”. Same way foregoing efforts of the Indian farmer are very much synchronous to the thinking “GIVE THE LEVER TO THE INDIAN FARMER AND HE WILL BRING BACK THE PAST STATUS & GLORY OF GOLDEN SPARROW TO INDIA”. This aptly fits for the Indian Farmer whose efforts have contributed to the present scenario and status of Hort-Agro in the Indian economy, which contributes 33% to GDP, is a unilateral symbol contribution. Post Harvest loss’s of 30-40% and in money value to the tune of Rupees 50,000 crores if can be reduced will add indirectly to the production and GDP growth status.

APATHY OF INDIAN FARMER: Paddy grain in Punjab and Bihar, Sugarcane in UP, Cotton in Punjab, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, Onion and Garlic in Maharashtra and Gujarat, Limes & Lemons of Gujarat, Oranges of Maharashtra, and Tomatoes in Karnataka are a few recent examples of farmer’s apathy. This further gets compounded with the non-purchase by over production – Low prices or no market offering. Non-payment of borrowed loans and suicide committed by the farmers, un-favorable weather conditions, Non-availability of storage, processing, transport infrastructure with bumpy road. Non exposition of the farmer to product Value addition process, exploitation by Bureaucratic – non-committed Public sector marketing organisations, inaccessible bureaucratic Financial Institutions. Non directive and goalless extension education system are a few vital examples, which has remained and contributed for the heaping apathetic conditions of the present farmer on whom country was proud of calling a backbone of the economy.

a. MARKETING: is the only avenue which turns and churns the sweat and toil, soil of the farmer into Gold Market intervention scheme is the oldest which gave birth to the Agriculture Produce Markets (APM), Marketing Federations at the state level, NAFED at the central, autonomous cooperative institutions like MOTHER DAIRY, Central Govt. owned FCI were only to ensure a favourable price and treatment to the farmer in the disposal of his produce. How far these Institutions have really worked for the benefit of the Indian economy and the farmer in particular is the question, which Govt. has to rethink in the present scenario. Few recent examples to quite be the Non purchase of Paddy grains and Punjab, causing a heaping and quality degeneration only by virtue of FCI. Non-functioning of APMC’s of HP at Parwanoo and Shimla, token Apple produce purchase by HPMC iII managed APMC Delhi, where one can see flagrant violation of Govt. directives.


Charging of commission from the producer by the Commission
Agents/ Auctioneers even today inspite of the Delhi Govt. directives during 1999-2000 is clear violation and a painful experience for the farmers, who does not want to earn the wrath of these agencies for their ulterior motives.

ABSENCE OF FARMER HOSTELS:
Commission agents/Auctioneers are amassing profit from whom? APMC’s are earning on daily turnovers of auctions and annual profit earning for APMC Delhi to quote is 8-10 crores Rupees, on whose cost? Farmer of any stature enters like a beggar for the auctioneer/commission agent directly and for APMC’s indirectly as their benefactor beggar. Then why this God of benefaction for their fortunes has till this day been denied the opportunity of homely stay, comforts meals? This is a cruel injustice to the King of Indian economy. Is not Govt. aware of this? Yes they are but coteries of incompetent paraphernalia right from the Head down below in the APMC are responsible for this.

Mandate given to these institutions is very clear then why they are ignoring the implementation for the cause of the farmer, healthy pollution free premises, generation of alternative avenues for marketing like Export, processing etc.?

BORROWED LOANS & BURGEONING DEBTS: Short-term loans and finances are not readily available to the farmer easily, inspite of the Govt. Numerous hassle free policies. However, this is possible from the local moneylender and Commission agent/Auctioneer in APMC’s, because these channels have a stake in farmers’ toil and endeavour for their own benefits. This all leads to low auction offers and even glut in the market.

PROCESSING & STORAGE: In the era of technologies, fast moving world, with a demand for value added products from the consumers, perishables (Fruits & Vegetables) require immediate processing at the village level. The truth, which has altogether been ignored till this day is the fact of small and marginal farmers, constitutes 80-85% of the society and the country requires only indigenous technology, suited to our conditions and not to the Western designs.

CRISIS SALVATION

Post Harvest technology application to agricultural crops is very old particularly in cereal /grains of the recent origin, in the fruits. Vegetables and floriculture, Post Harvest Technology application is based on the principals of Moisture, Temperature management where in the shelf life of the product could be increased alongside maintaining the nutritional qualities. In the cereal grains the process is very simple where in the grains at a required temperature is stored and this is not let to deteriorate further with the imbibitions of moisture from the atmospheric humidity. Also the grains are saved in the technology from the attack of pests and Rodents in the SILOS, which maintain the quality of the grains. Farmer producing crops during the rainy season or harvesting the crops up to September months is always exposed to the vagaries of bacterial, fungal attacks on the grains due to very high RH status in the atmosphere. It is thus very much pertinent on the part of the grain purchasing agencies to test the moisture % in the grains at the time of receipt and subtracting the desired level of moisture from this, which brings down the loss to be borne by the farmer because of increased moisture levels. Thus this will save the farmer from every type of hassle of non-purchase.

In the fruit and vegetables Post Harvest Technology is directed the other way through the induction of cold chain process, which also works on the same principals as the grain storage, and processing. The crisis salvation for the benefit of the economy and bringing confidence to the farmer that his produce will be rewarded commensurately according to the quality which is received at the auction table and will not lie otherwise for want of purchasers. This involves participation of all the agencies like Public sector, Private sector, Government and also promoting the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in this sector from the foreign companies who are very much specialized in the technology of Post Harvest. Salvation of the crisis thus stands for: -

· Cereal Grains
· Fruits
· Vegetables
a. Floriculture
b. Mushrooms
c. Baby Corn
d. Spices
e. Processed Foods
f. Export Crops

CEREAL GRAINS: Paddy, Wheat, Maize, and Millets.

IMPROVED POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: Increased moisture levels should not hinder the grain purchase at any level either by the Public or Private entrepreneurs. Drying units for grain drayage is the prime need of the hour along with creating storage capacity. Encourage every type of participation in Post Harvest Management systems for grains by the Government, Public and private section, FDI at the state, Mandi and village level, FCI, State Marketing Federations, NAFED and autonomous bodies like MOTHER DAIRY and Commission agents at the Mandi and village levels are the organs which play an active role in the marketing process.

In the form of FDI companies from the developed countries involved in the process of SILO and grain DRYING systems manufacture be invited for operating cereal grain storage and drying in India. This is being suggested on the basis of the National Highway authority’s scheme of BOT (Built, Operate and Transfer). Creation of stores at the village, Mandi and state level will reduce the travel distance for the farmer and ensure better transport storage modes.

Latest decision of the central Government for accepting to decentralize the FCI on 3rd Jan.2001 is the most laudable, because on one hand it will provide immediate grain purchase irrespective of the moisture %age in the grains from the farmer and on the other the agency will be responsible for keeping the grains in best of its storage systems and thereby also gaining from the loss reductions due to pests and Rodents which are more than 2-3% at present and on the turnover of 30,000 crores Rupees will be a saving of 900 crores Rupees annually.

FRUIT & VEGETABLES: Perishable crops is the other unit of Indian farmers contribution and toil after cereal grains, APEDA’s and NHB’s efforts in this direction are commendable to increase cold store capacity and place Indian fruit and vegetables products in the value added form both in the domestic and export sector. This also deserves a similar participation as suggested for cereal grains.

OTHER MEASURES

AGRICULTURE AUTHORITIES: An independent authority like, Telephone & Communication, Roads, Transport, Electricity to mention a few be created to provide transparency in working. There are more than 100 Institutes/ Organisations/Centers/Universities etc. who could interact for direct interactions, intervention, suggestion process and monitoring of progress on ongoing agricultural projects.

FARMER EDUCATION: Active interaction of the Universities concerned Departments with Institutes like CFTRI, Science & Technology, Post Harvest Technology at IARI, Vigyan Kendra’s etc.

COORDINATION Committee’s: Subject specific Scientists coordination committee'’ at Village level interaction with farmers must have frequent meetings at monthly intervals, which will aid in building a confidence amongst farmers and highlighting day to day problems encountered by the farmers.

FARMER REPRESENATION: In all the Govt. bodies the present picture is that representation is confined to only to the heavy weights of politics or the bureaucracy and farmers do not stand anywhere to put his viewpoint. Also decisions by the Executives are taken simply saying that farmers also voted in the meeting. The facts are contrary. The example for this is that of NHB where none of the present members have anything to do with active agriculture.

Unless immediate steps are taken in the Right direction at the earliest, the father of Green revolution shall become history of past. Radical changes are required.

FARMER TOURS: In this blatant truth is that never a true farmer has ever visited a foreign country in the last 54 years. Whosoever has visited is again an example of Kith & Kin favoritism in the selection of candidates. This is cured through the process of getting names from the Panchyat and then selecting the farmers by bringing out lots.

TEHCNOLOGY TRANSFER: Easy modus operandi is devised for Technology Transfer into the villages and creation of Industrial infrastructure for product manufacture. This pertains to technologies from CFTRI, CSIR, Science & Technology and others.

ATTRACTING ENGINEERING TALENTS: For the development of Agro-based systems applicable in all Hort-Agro operations it is suggested that the Cash/Certificates and other prizes are instituted to attract the best talent of the country suited only to the Indian conditions, which has till this day remained eluded from the think tank.

DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEUS PRODUCT VILLAGES: Villages in each state be developed for a specific product or crop culture or Food processing, whereby the village becomes a nucleus production center i.e. Fruits/Vegetables/Floriculture Mushrooms/Medicinal or Herbal or Aromatic plants etc.

Unless drastic steps are taken in the right direction on top priority, the fathers of Green Revolution shall become history. Radical changes are required at the earliest.