THE INDIAN FARMER: LOST AND ALONE.

Said Gandhiji: “True India lives in her villages.” By this he referred to the millions of Indian farmers who shape up the real India.

But with globalization, free trade, runaway urbanization and changing socio-economic scenarios, the Indian farmer is all alone in this massive global village. He has lost his way like the solitary migrant in search of a new life in a mega city like Mumbai. The ruthless and gargantuan waves of globalization have either gobbled him or washed him ashore living him high and dry. While our farmers continue their struggle against floods, famines, droughts, inflation, penury, illiteracy, they have been suddenly jettisoned onto the rickety and shaky bridges of globalization and changing economic conditions. How many of them get across is the mind boggling question. Going by the reports of farmer suicides and deaths, it seems many have failed to swim safely through the turbid waters of the sea of globalization. Many drowned fighting, many simply surrendered and many are on their way to perish.

As a matter of fact most of these concepts sound Greek and Latin even to the educated class of urban India; so how will our illiterate farmers comprehend them? Well to put it straight how many of us know that globalization is a multidimensional, complex phenomenon that presupposes the integration of economic, social, political and cultural aspects of life at the global level. Globalization of international trade, technology transfers and capital flow will have tremendous impact on agriculture. And this impact on agriculture will surely affect India’s stand in the global world. About 60-70 percent of our population depends on agriculture for their livelihood. To achieve a 7 percent growth in the economy, agriculture must register a growth of atleast 4 percent. Now it is around 2 percent and is declining. This situation must be changed.

The agricultural policy drafted by the Indian government is a huge sigh of relief, but it just might not serve the purpose unless and until our farmers reap its benefits. For this the government has to reach every farmer’s door and embrace him as a part of the fast paced economy. With research, development and innovations in the field of agriculture at the backend and government support and supervision at the forefront, the day when our farmers can compete with those in the advanced societies is not too far.