Agri policy comes in for 'official' flak

Improper land policies and inadequate laws regarding animal health and other services were causing the progressive loss of livestock breeds and species that provide rural livelihood and lifestyle options. said A Ramaswamy, principal secretary, department of agriculture and horticulture.

Delivering the Dr S W Menasinakai Memorial Lecture at the University of Agriucltural Sciences in Dharwad he said there is little or no evidence that policy is being shaped by the reality that India is a nation of subsistence farmers.

"Farming is the largest people's private sector. Government must take immediate steps to implement the recommendations of the National Commission on Farmers," Ramaswamy asserted.

Referring to suicides by farmers he said a multiplicity of factors were responsible for suicides but the greatest worry of the farmer related to the price he is likely to get for his produce during harvest. "Assured and remunerative price for farm produce is the core issue. Farmers should be assured of a strong government intervention to prevent distress sales," he said.

Advocating the need to review and overhaul the agricultural credit operations, he said it ought to be far more rigorous and transparent. He stressed the need to have an India Trade Organisation to serve as a watchdog to safeguard farmers' interests.

The objective would be to allow farmers to engage with decision makers in formulating the appropriate policy responses to developments in agriculture markets both within the country and outside. Ramaswamy wanted the state and Centre to intervene during the 11th Five Year Plan to provide high quality inputs at affordable prices at the right time and place to farmers.

Expressing concern over the fate of farmers, Ramaswamy quoting the NSSO survey report said 40 per cent of farmers would like to give up farming if they had a choice as agriculture was becoming increasingly unsustainable. Stating that India is facing a serious agrarian crisis he said the contribution of agriculture to the GDP had dropped from 38 per cent to 19 per cent in the last 32 years.

He pointed out that there was overuse of fertiliser by farmers to boost yields of some crops, affecting the fertility of the soil, he observed.

"All this has serious implications on our National Food Security. The agriculture growth has hit a plateau of 1.8 per cent and it is hardly surprising that a perception has grown that the benefits of development have by-passed vast sections," Ramaswamy noted.

"If we neglect our commitment to the concept of Jai Kisan during 11th Plan, we would be paving the way for serious disruption of national peace and security, spread of Naxal movement, enlarging the rural urban divide" he warned.