Rather than calling it subsidy, refer to it as support, says M S Swaminathan

High time to create Food Security Box to adopt farm support policies

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Agricultural scientists M S Swaminathan, known as father of India's green revolution, has said that it would be more appropriate to refer the limited support provided to the farmers as support to sustainable farming, rather than designating them as subsidy. He added that it is high time that a Food Security Box to be created to help countries to adopt farm support policies, while the developed countries have safegaurded the extensive financial support through the green box provision.

In a statement issued, he said, "The difference between agriculture as a commercial occupation and agriculture as a means of abolishing hunger and malnutrition will have to be clearly understood at the 10th ministerial Meeting of WTO (World Trade Organisation) scheduled to be held in Nairobi this December."

The industrialised countries should understand and acknowledge the human dimensions of trade in food grains. Developed countries have safeguarded the extensive financial support they are giving to their farmers through the green box provision.

"It is high time that there is also a Food Security Box which can help countries to adopt farm support policies which can help them to achieve the Zero Hunger Challenge launched by the UN Secretary General," he added.

He added that it is a matter of pride and satisfaction, that the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitaraman has clearly tried to convey the message that support policies for food security and abolition of malnutrition are non-negotiable.

Agriculture is essentially a commercial occupation in developed countries where hardly five per cent of the population depend on agriculture for their livelihood. On the other hand, agriculture in many developing countries including India is the principal occupation of a majority of rural families who depend upon crop and animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry and agro-processing for both their livelihood and household food security.

"Also, the farm size is small and the marketable surplus is low. As a result, farm families require social protection. It is wrong to designate the limited support given to them as subsidy. It will be more appropriate to refer to the assistance given as support to sustainable farming," he commented.

India has now come to the stage of giving legal right to food through the National Food Security Act 2013. Thus, the country has evolved from a "ship to mouth existence" to a "Right to Food" commitment. To fulfill this commitment, it has to give concurrent attention to production, procurement, and public distribution, he added.