Which Future For The Farmers’ Policy? – (India. Part 1)

By Professor Devendra Swaroop Bhatgava (formerly with IIT in Roorkee and Kanpur, AIT in Bangkok and the Central Pollution Control Board).

The social movement of farmers

The drafting of a law for farmers, very exploited in India, was really necessary, because I was personally told, on a farm, that the intermediary bought from the farmer tomatoes Rs 5 per kg that he then resold on the markets at Rs 60 / Kg ^[1]Rs: Indian rupee. Current value: Rs 1 = € 0.01. Imagine the joy of Indian farmers who can now, after the new legislation, hope to get rid of these dealers.

Obviously, many farmers from prosperous (Indian) states who have also acted as intermediary dealers are now also opponents of the new law.

The current opposition to the new law has been launched from the very wealthy state of Punjaab. The more united Punjabees (this union is seen as a great force), especially those who emigrated en masse from Pakistan after the partition of 1947, had become big favorites of the Nehru family (in Congress) which made them rich. overnight to permanently earn their deep loyalty (despite even the events of 1984). These Punjabees were also encouraged to disperse to rule all the Hindi speaking states by acquiring farmland, jobs, business, etc. intended for Hindi-speaking peoples, very disunited. This is manifested very well by the fact that today the peasants of Punjabee living in these neighboring and Hindi speaking states (like Haryana, Rajasthan, etc.), also joined in an organized manner the farmers’ protest which is well known as having also been sponsored by Congress. In conclusion, the social movement of farmers is almost totally political and supported mainly by the Nehru family and their allies in Congress.

The water pollution

Now, the other problems related to water pollution, organic farming, etc. are the result of a very severely and poorly practiced green revolution. Indian farmers, mostly illiterate, and eager for a rapidly growing agricultural production, started adding too much synthetic fertilizer, pesticides / insecticides, not realizing that plants (but also animals) , unlike humans, cannot absorb the overflow of nutrients. As a result, many of these surplus synthetic fertilizers and insecticides were washed away in rivers, in addition to their infiltration into groundwater. As a result, rivers, ponds, lakes, groundwater, etc. are today polluted and unsuitable for many beneficial uses of water. Not only that, but the arrival of these surplus fertilizers in the lakes causes a “eutrophication” of the water bodies and ultimately leads to the death of the latter. The death of Dal Lake in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India and the highly polluted rivers of the Indian subcontinent are clear examples of the greatest of the tragedies caused by the Green Revolution, implemented without no precautions. The Indian government, which is now considering a “super green revolution”, needs to wake up. The death of Dal Lake in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India and the highly polluted rivers of the Indian subcontinent are clear examples of the greatest of the tragedies caused by the Green Revolution, implemented without no precautions. The Indian government, which is now considering a “super green revolution”, needs to wake up. The death of Dal Lake in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India and the highly polluted rivers of the Indian subcontinent are clear examples of the greatest of the tragedies caused by the Green Revolution, implemented without no precautions. The Indian government, which is now considering a “super green revolution”, needs to wake up.

Biological agriculture

Organic farming, now fashionable, is more in demand and sells for a higher price. Farmers are therefore doing their best to increase the production of these crops which however require organic manure, and not synthetic as often used. Thus, organic farming will not only improve the income of farmers, but also reduce the adverse effects of using chemical fertilizers as mentioned above. Governments should take action and help farmers prepare organic manure in their fields, through the use of huge organic waste generated by towns and villages. This will further solve the problems associated with the disposal of solid organic waste in inhabited areas.

Translation: B. de Foucauld

Bibliography

Congress MPs from Punjab continue sit-in at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar .

Ganga Cleaning Forever with Minimal Money / Time

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