SHYAMAPARSAD BISNAUTHSING
The Week-End newspaper of 25 September 2022 mentions on its front page “Les pluies d’été pourraient se faire désirer”. It goes without saying that all precautionary measures or a preparedness plan need to be worked upon to promote an environmentally sustainable agriculture, to have a regular supply of farm produce and value-added transformed products at a fairly reasonable price through quality research in order not to live the past recurrent experiences as producers and also as consumers. So far nothing seems to have been done in that direction and the situation warrants it, more so since the World Food Day has been celebrated on Sunday 16 October of each year across the world by all member states of the FAO. It would provide the ideal relaying mechanism between the Agricultural Policy Planning Unit (APPAU), FAREI, Agricultural Services and other related units falling under the aegis of the Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security, which is considerably lacking actually. During the last few months, unlike those which had preceded them, we have been witnessing quite an abundant supply of fresh and quality vegetables in the market leading to a surplus in supply and drastic reduction in prices of same, thanks to the commendable efforts put in by farmers and the stabilization of climatic conditions for food production. This condition is likely to be so during the next few weeks.
SMEs and concerned Government institutions have lost another opportunity in capitalizing on the situation. Choice grades of vegetables like tomatoes, chilies and carrots, to mention a few, were offered at throwaway prices. It made one think whether the producers were breaking even in the production costs. Eventually, the situation will change and we shall be in a situation where one will see the weekly allocated budget for weekly supply of vegetables increase drastically due to the fact that productivity achievements are being eclipsed by the huge water footprint causing scarcity in supply as a result of reduction in productivity due to the much-talked climate change.
It is an agreed fact that the basic fundamentals in agricultural development are Land, Labour and Capital. If one ponders upon those, it will become clear that all are considerably suffering from proven constraints due to lack of consideration by the policy makers. Land – It is a well-known fact that the yields of all crops are not as they used to be previously. This is due to the considerable depletion of our soil health by constantly applying chemical inputs like complex fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, thus eliminating most of the beneficial microorganisms. We have grown up seeing earthworms and even studied their anatomy and roles in the soil in our biology classes at primary and secondary schools. We learnt that earthworms were beneficial and more or less essential for plant growth. Now they are very rarely seen in our soils. It has rightly been said that when the soil health is good, human health is also good. This applies to both producers and consumers.
Labour – One of the major disinterests of farmers of sugarcane, food crops and also livestock keepers is due to the unavailability of qualified and value for money farm workers. As it is presently an agricultural labour, if available, works for only 3 hours daily for at least Rs 500. Capital – This element is important for meeting costs of all operations like land preparation, procurement of essentials, for example seeds, seedlings, plants and plantlets, nutrition and plant protection inputs etc. It is a belief that finance for agro-industrial projects are available through government-funded institutions and private-financing institutions. One has just to see the travails being suffered by those interested parties for not being able to meet the stringent conditions. To know the fate of those farmers who have not been able to honour their obligations due to crop failures and other reasons beyond their control, one has just to read in the papers daily of the number of cases of “Sale by Levy” every week. Farming is not a game (tournament). If it is taken as a game then one is putting the life of farmers and land owners at risk. Seasonal hazards like cyclones, droughts, flash floods and excessive rainfall create havoc in the farms and other production units.
These conditions are likely to occur in the coming days as per the concerned authorities. As such a preparedness plan ought to have already been worked out and discussed among all the stakeholders. The founding fathers had rightly well chalked out the roadmap by creating the necessary infrastructures like the Women and Youth Unit, School of Farmers, the Agro Processing Resource Center and Unit and the Business Development Unit to identify, train and prepare potential agro-entrepreneurs. This was supported by the Technology Diffusion Scheme. That activity was ongoing and was meeting with much success. Hand holding exercises were being done to accompany them on the journey from farm to fork.
Those infrastructures and units are still in operation and it would be interesting to know the success rates of each. Decision makers and executives need to plan accordingly and work out programs for production and conservation of produce into exotic foods for the whole calendar year. That would provide opportunities for the domestic and even export markets. Unfortunately, all indicates that it is not so as no tangible signals are seen in the markets and fairs. Planning requires concerted efforts of all stakeholders if this was being done earlier (as far as 1985) it would be even more efficient presently with the availability of technology and know-how.
An architecture that responds to the needs and aspirations of the producers, consumers and society at large need to be developed. The present architecture is ineffective as it is not meeting the needs of the nation. It will help to create one that would act as a catalyst for action.
