SSB LECTURETTE : FARM CRISIS IN INDIA
A study by a premier social sciences research institute reinforces what policymakers and media have been talking about the past few years - that India is going through a deep agrarian crisis. Benefits of government schemes and policies go to big farmers, shows survey undertaken by CSDS on behalf of farmers’ association.
Around 18 per cent of respondents surveyed said it was because of family pressure that they are continuing with farming. Sixty-one per cent of these farmers said, they would prefer to be employed in cities because of better education, health and employment avenues there.
CAUSES OF AGRICULTURAL CRISIS IN INDIA
- Surging costs of key fertilizers such as potash and phosphate. India relies on imports for all of its potash and 90% of its phosphate.
- Record high prices of diesel, making tilling fields, harvesting and transporting crops expensive.
- Costs of farm inputs have increased faster than farm produce prices.
- Farmers said they are incurring repeated losses because of unseasonal rains, drought and floods.
- Around 83% of rural households are either entirely landless or own less than 1 hectare of land. Another 14% own less than 3 hectares.
- Farmers lack the resources to either buy or lease more land or invest in farm infrastructure.
- The influx of products like tea and coffee from Sri Lanka following the removal of restrictions on import and reduction in import duty.
- Small farmers usually do not benefit from the government assured MSPs. It mainly benefits the large traders who sell grain to the government.
- Lack in coordination between Center and the States which results in improper implementation of schemes.
MEASURES TO TACKLE AGRICULTURAL CRISIS IN INDIA
- Initiative must be taken to teach modern farming techniques to the farmers to help them increase farm productivity.
- Farmers need to be advised and guided on economical methods of cultivation which would save finances for them.
- The technological advancement in agriculture should be passed down to the small farmers.
- National weather risk management system must be put in place to alert farmers about the extreme weather conditions.
- The dependency of agriculture on nature should be reduced. This calls for effective management of water during seasons of good monsoons.
- Farmers must be encouraged to go for alternative sources of income. Government should help them acquire the new skills.
The government needs to look into the matter seriously and take effective steps to eradicate the factors leading to the farmer suicides in order to do away with this problem. Most of the initiatives by the government are focused on providing or repaying loans rather than helping the farmers increase productivity and income.
