Are farmers really innocent?

By Amrith Jogi

Finally,I got into your shoes. I was very reluctant to discuss on the issues like agriculture as I have little agricultural background. Whatever I say may sound funny, Still I want to make some comments here.

Okay. Everybody blames a 'System' for the collapse of agriculture. Most of them blame it on governments' inaction. Your article is trying to focus on the mindset of farmers who discourage youth to take this as a profession.

I want to recall an incident where one of my relatives sold out everything in native and came to Bangalore to stay with thier son, who is, yes you are right, a software engineer. Father is a bank employee. Mother is a housewife. Father, after a great effort succeeded in getting transfer to Bangalore. In less than few months, son went to US on work. This left parents alone back at home (again). Following a year after, father was transferred to other place. But now, Mother is not ready to leave the newly built house and stayed back. So a micro family split into three parts. This may sounds like a short story. But Indeed,this is a new trend which has become rampant among agricultural families all around.

One of my colleagues got VRS. Reason: son got an IT job. Where this IT job will take us? Time only should answer. Now come back to agriculture. I always ponder on the issue of providing freebies to farmers. They want free water, electricity, seeds and subsidised fertilisers. This is not new demand. These were there even during golden era of 'Green revolution'. I ask, whether they sale their product 'Free' as they got every needs 'Free'?

Okay, let them fix some price for their produce. Most of the time this price is exhorbitant (rice, vegitables to mention here). You may say middlemen are behind this. I agree with this only to some extent, not fully! Do you think farmers sell their product at the price middlemen quote? Not always. I don't believe all farmers are innocent. Some crucked among them lead to the downfall of a sector.

We need to restructure not only government policies, but also mindset of the farmers. Firstly, We must educate them. Education about the available facilities, less investment- more profit, marketing tools, available storage facilities, etc. These knowledge will give them a room for success. Look at some of the successful farmers, as you have mentioned in your blog, My comments may sound childish.

That's why I mentioned my 'Innocence' in the begining. It may sound like a blind touching an elephant and passing a judgment.

(I Thank AMRITH JOGI for his thought inciting comment on the issue. He is a journalist. Thank you sir!)