HIGH SCHOOL WINNER - Rithani Saravanakumar
Rithani Saravanakumar, Grade 10
Redmond, Washington
A Farmer’s Predicament; Revolutionizing the Agriculture Industry in India
A farmer’s identity is in the land he cultivates. It is filled with memories, struggles, and achievements. To part from it is to lose everything he loves. Today, however, the farming class, the backbone of Indian society, is being pressured by deregulation at the federal level and the transition towards a corporate, agribusiness model. Even though this is a pressing issue across the nation, I believe it is receiving insufficient attention both domestically and within the Indian diaspora community. This needs to be addressed, lest the backbone of India be broken.
Life in India first blossomed with farming. The soil was our home, the water was our breath, and the plants were our lives. Agriculture was “the mother that gave us life.” However, modern practices have evolved. Once, Indian farmers thrived on home ground. Now, they’ve turned into slaves, controlled by domineering corporate interests. Profits are now the main driving factors in agriculture and farmers are being left behind. Suicides, protests, and political stress are rising, and unless we act, they won’t stop.
I strongly believe that the most significant issue facing India is the underrepresentation of Indian farmers who have historically been the key reasons behind our nation’s success. They deserve better wages, working conditions, and support from the government.
So, what can we do to help?
Agriculture has been a part of Indian culture from the beginning. Our ancestors colonized the land by cultivating it to feed their people. Currently, an estimated 52.8% of India’s land is arable, which is more than any other country in the world. This land has been used to grow many crops, but primarily staples: rice and wheat. Today, India is regarded as the world’s second largest food producer, leading in spice, fish, plantation crops, and poultry production.
Aside from providing the nation with food, agriculture is the foundation of India’s economy. The industry employs over 60% of the population and contributes 17% of the total GDP. Moreover, in recent years, there has been an increase in foreign crop exports, totaling $87.4 billion dollars. Modern India’s economy has become prosperous and continues to flourish because of its agricultural backbone.
The primary reason for India’s agricultural crisis is its corporatization. As businesses continue to grow and evolve, their influence makes its way into every sector of the economy. With profit as their main motive, high profile businessmen take advantage of India’s illiterate population, convincing them to buy mediocre farming supplies. Similarly, multinationals like Monsanto, supply farmers with genetically modified seeds (GMOs) that require a substantial amount of water. Due to the water scarcity, farmers are forced to buy water from private companies. To make matters worse, many companies are exploiting water sources to ensure none is left for the farmers. While this may benefit business, it kills farmers.
Another compounding problem is that Indian farmers are not making enough money to support their families. Before the enactment of new agricultural laws in 2020, all farmers were guaranteed a minimum price for specific crops. Now however, the market is unregulated. And so, because farmers are limited by how long they can store their crops, they cannot sell at higher prices. Moreover, as average household incomes increase, people tend to turn to luxury products, lessening demand for traditional crops. The result is lower incomes for hard working farmers and the families that depend on them. Indian farmers are clearly suffering and unbalanced corporate power and increasing political influence should be eradicated to let farmers prosper once again.
The concept of a regulated agriculture market dates back to the British rule. Every agricultural product was assigned a fixed value. This framework remained in place well into the 1960s and 1970s, with most states enforcing the Agricultural Produce Markets Regulation (APMR) Acts. For generations, farmers have been selling their crops at a price determined by the government, guaranteeing a fixed salary. While it wasn’t always enough, it was dependable.
However, change has come to Indian agriculture. In 2020, Narendra Modi, dismantled the old crop market structure and initiated three new farming bills. Instead of guaranteeing farmers a minimum price, the new laws allow farmers to set their own. Modi claims deregulation gives farmers more opportunity. Farmers disagree. They believe that the denationalization of the market will allow large private companies to force farmers into lowering prices. In November, infuriated farmers drove to Delhi to set up blockades. The protests are ongoing with actions including highway blockages and hunger strikes. Most of these protests are peaceful although violence has occured which is hardly surprising, as the farmers are essentially fighting for their lives.
Because of the domestic resistance farmers are facing, it is our responsibility, as diaspora Indian-Americans, to assist them in their fight for a regulated, nationalized, and commodified market. While a return from the corporatization of agriculture may not be possible, we do have the power to make life better for Indian farmers.
But what can we do?
By comparing farming techniques between India and other countries such as the US, it is evident that India is lagging behind technologically and can’t sustain their agriculture industry due to the lack of necessary infrastructure. It is difficult for farmers to sell crops independently because of insufficient agricultural labor and underfunded transportation systems. This is why a plausible solution is agri-infrastructure: the implementation of reliable infrastructure for the production, transportation, and storage of agricultural product. It is crucial that farmers can profit from the food that they grow. Agri-infrastructure will allow for transportation and a safe food storage system, ensuring farmers the ability to sell their products at any time. Agri-infrastructure also opens up multiple job opportunities for farmers who’ve been dispossessed from their land. Educating and retraining farmers to work as truck drivers, storage operators, and general infrastructure workers not only decreases unemployment but also helps farmers to sell their product. Moreover, agri-infrastructure programs would expose the 70% of the Indian population living in rural areas to the evolving, urbanized world, increasing the country’s modernization. As we are living in a technologically advanced nation, we understand the value of automation and infrastructure. Teams of engineers and architects in the US can contribute to the Indian farming society by developing agri-infrastructure models and ways to implement them in India’s conditions. We will start with small rural regions and work our way up to large farming land and create a sustainable, successful system in Indian agriculture.
One of the main ways we can support impoverished farming communities is by raising funds and asking people to invest in loans. Because the government is refraining from supporting farmers, we can do our part and provide farming communities with necessary financial support for them to practice farming and build agri-infrastructure. Once the products have been harvested, we can export them back to the US, ensuring a better rate for farmers. Setting up national campaigns and creating an Indian farming foundation places more attention on this issue and unites the diaspora to work towards a common goal. In addition, spreading this message on social media platforms would get more people involved.
I believe the solution involves direct action and awareness. In this battle, every dollar counts. Farmers face a dilemma: either advocate for their rights or work to support their families. Funding farmers keeps their families alive, but also gives them another reason to keep fighting: us! With our Indian roots, we will join their families and protest alongside. By making this issue more public and raising important questions, we, the people, hold the authority and power. We will remind the government of the crisis and make them respond for their actions.
Farmers are the air of the world; we can’t see them, nor can we touch them, but we can feel their presence all the time. We have the ability to empathize with them, show them they are not alone. We can raise money for them, protest with them, and show our love and gratitude to them. I urge you to join us in this step forward, where we make known the real saviors of the Earth and help them win the inevitable war.
Works Cited
“Agriculture Infrastructure.” NASDA, Sept. 2016, www.nasda.org/policy/nasda- policy-statements/agriculture-infrastructure.
“Historical Background Of Regulation Of Agricultural Produce Market.” Historical Background Of Regulation Of Agricultural Produce Market, n.p., 2011, pp. 30– 67, lib.unipune.ac.in:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/5042/12_chapter%20 4.pdf?sequence=12&isAllowed=y.
“India at a Glance | FAO in India | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, www.fao.org/india/fao-in-india/india-at-a-glance/en. Accessed 27 May 2021.
Yeung, Jessie Cnn. “India’s Farmer Protests: Why New Farm Laws Have Sparked Outrage.” CNN, 26 Mar. 2021, edition.cnn.com/2021/02/10/asia/india- farmers-protest-explainer-intl-hnk-scli/index.html.