"Farmers Protection Act"?

[Capt M Kumar]

<!--emo&:ind--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/india.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='india.gif' /><!--endemo--> The study estimates it would cost $6 billion (Rs 27,900 crore) to implement enough water conservation strategies to meet the projected demand. The potential payoff is huge too. Agricultural income could increase by $83 billion (Rs 3,85,950 crore) by 2030.

But that is “if the full potential of agricultural measures is mobilised,” the report says.

“We can't continue with business as usual,” added Bajaj.

According to Aggarwal, the government should provide farmers with seed money and insure them against risk. “We need capital support so farmers can afford these new technologies.”

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-s-wate...le3-479486.aspx

[Capt M Kumar]

As a rickshaw-puller, Dharamvir found the going tough in New Delhi and returned home in 1987. However, he had only two acres and a little more. He started growing Aloe Vera, but had no money to buy even a manual extractor to squeeze out the juice. Extracting the juice manually was expensive and time consuming.



The determined farmer resolved to jig a machine for his own use. After several years of hard work, he came up with a low-cost multi-processing unit, which works as a juicer, grinder, mixer, steamer and boiler, besides performing other tasks. “My multi-processing machine can crush and extract juice or oil from herbs, fruits and vegetables,” said Dharamvir.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100319/main7.htm

[Capt M Kumar]

From being mere farmers to becoming farmer-entrepreneurs is the big transformation taking place in the lives of numerous farmers in northern states. This is happening under an initiative by the New Delhi-based Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI, or Pusa Institute) to involve farmers in the production of seeds of crop varieties developed by it. Grain-growers are being helped to take up the lucrative business of seed production under this programme.



Besides improving the income of the farmers, this initiative has helped augment the availability of quality seeds to boost overall farm productivity. “Crop yields generally increase by 20 to 30 per cent with the use of fresh and good quality seeds. Seed producer farmers, on the other hand, can earn a net profit of up to Rs 1 lakh per hectare,” IARI Director H S Gupta told Business Standard. http://www.business-standard.com/india/n...rs/395993/

[Capt M Kumar]

Significantly, CSSRI has also succeeded in developing the first ever salt-tolerant variety of the scented basmati rice. Called CSR 30 or Yamini, this variety has proved to be a boon for the farmers in the basmati-growing tracts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. Basmati has traditionally been grown in these states even on moderately salt affected lands with poor-quality water for irrigation.



The yield of conventional basmati varieties in such areas is generally quite meagre, though the higher price that basmati rice fetches partly offsets that disadvantage. But, with the availability of CSR 30 basmati, the farmers are now bagging rich harvests of basmati and getting high returns too. Indeed, many basmati farmers in non-saline tracts are also opting for this variety due to its various attributes such as high yield, resilience to stresses posed by climatic and other factors, capacity to resist several plant diseases, superior grain quality and pleasant aroma.



http://www.business-standard.com/india/n...ty/399690/

[Capt M Kumar]

Inadequate mineral (micro-nutrients) intake by cattle is among the significant factors responsible for their low productivity and deficient fertility. Most cattle owners are least aware of this. This deficiency is more prevalent among animals that graze in the wild or are fed on crop wastes. The number of such bovines is fairly large in India. Steady degradation, besides shrinkage, of grazing tracts has worsened the problem. The animals are, therefore, denied balanced nutrition with adverse impact on their health, productivity and fecundity.

http://www.businessstandard.com/india/ne...ed/404019/

I think this is very important in country like ours where there are not much of green pastures for livestock to graze and they are going around grazing on the road side eating whatever comes to them. Long time back when I was in Assam(1980), I used to talk amongst my peers that how much milk you can expect from these cows who are grazing on waste paper. The yield from cows was hardly a liter or so.

[Capt M Kumar]

Thus, the study suggests that reduction in the labour force engaged in farming and education are the most critical pre-requisites for speedy economic development in rural areas. As much as 58 per cent of the labour force still relies on agriculture for employment, as was the case in the 1970s. [color="#FF0000"][size="6"]The share of agricultural GDP in the national income, however, has dropped from 45 per cent to below 18 per cent since then.[/size][/color] http://www.businessstandard.com/india/ne...ds/405505/

[Capt M Kumar]

Agriculture economist Devender Sharma.points out the need for a farm land conservation law. Most countries have such a law, he says. The Phililippines enacted such a law recently when it realised its food security was in danger.



The Pipari village in Tappal has no power, no National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Wasn’t it better that townships came up and brought work? If you pose this question to villagers, right from the 10-year-old school boys to 80-year-old farmers, you get the counter-question—What will you eat?



Can food grow in IT cities and malls? They know it. Their city-bred leaders don’t.



So, who is the real soldier? The farmer fighting for our right to food or leaders trying to facilitate sale of farm land? http://www.businessstandard.com/india/ne...le/406171/

[Capt M Kumar]

According to Bhatti, the initial cost for farming in Ethiopia works out to Rs 1.5 crore per 100 hectares of land. "This cost involves spending on infrastructure, farm machinery and land development," he said.



The idea of land cultivation in foreign country has also clicked with the Punjab government, as state-owned Punjab Agro plans to take eight farmers from the state to CIS countries including Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Kazakhstan next month to explore the possibility of cultivating land on lease and exporting fruits, vegetables, basmati rice, etc. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news...572086.cms



This year, the ambassadors of various African countries, including Tanzania and Uganda, visited Punjab and encouraged farmers of the state to till the land in their countries.

[Capt M Kumar]

The panchayati raj ministry headed by C.P. Joshi has decided that each gram panchayat will be allowed to recruit between four and six persons, including engineers, accountants and computer technicians.



There are 2.5 lakh panchayats in the country. The state selection commissions will make the selection and preference will be given to local residents.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100919/js...954896.jsp

[Capt M Kumar]

Near the village pond is the experimental lab, a shed christened “Kachre Se Kamai”, where the garbage is collected and dumped. It is the centre of activity during the day with a few villagers sifting through the refuse, segregating them, giving “best out of waste” an all new meaning.



In one corner, women are busy filling packets of vermicompost, prepared from kitchen waste, for sale while in another, cardboard is soaked in a mix of clay and water to ready it for decorative items of papier mache. Some colourful parrots and vases adorn the shelf above. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100921/main6.htm

[Capt M Kumar]

Renewable energy sources, such as sun, wind and biomass, which are plentiful in India, will have to play a greater role in meeting the increased energy demand of the farm sector. Biomass, chiefly agricultural waste, can be an important raw material for decentralised power generation in the rural belt. Going by Ayyappan’s estimates, about 590 million tonne of agricultural waste and agro-industrial residues are generated annually in the country. These can be conveniently used to generate thermal or electric energy for the farm sector. http://www.business-standard.com/india/n...re/413419/

[Capt M Kumar]

The tea industry employs about 3 million people across India. Most live just a few steps above the poverty line.



They are not the only farmers in India suffering because of the weather. Warmer temperatures have cut sharply into wheat farmers' yield in northern India — their crops are maturing too quickly.



Nor are tea growers alone in their concern about how the climate is changing the taste of their product. French vintners, for instance, have seen the taste and alcohol content change for some wines, and are worried they could see more competition as climate change makes areas of northern Europe friendlier to wine-growing. http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/103148-...age-set4-2

[Guest]

[url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110117/wl_sthasia_afp/indiafarmingsuicideroadaccident_20110117120832"]Indian farmer suicides rise to 17,000 a year[/url]

Congress can blame on RSS and they can have vacation in UK and Italy.

[Capt M Kumar]

Shashwat Yogic Farming

Shashwat Yogic Farming Farmers can grow wholesome food with far less expense, reports PRITI AGRAWAL.



India was once the sone ki chirya (golden bird) — a land where people knew how to live with nature and for nature. To get back to that golden era we need to respect nature and live in harmony with it. Today’s farms are mechanised,echnology-driven and have record land yields. But this increased output has been achieved at a great cost: harmful chemicals and pesticides have made our food toxic and are leading to health complications.



The Rajyoga Education and Research Foundation together with the Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vidyalaya recently organised a conference in the capital to focus on how to restore harmony between man and nature for better farming. The conference concluded with the recommendation that a spiritual and meditative approach to farming can have a positive impact on farm output.



BK Sarla, national coordinator, Rural Development Wing of the Rajyoga Education and Research Foundation in Mehsana, Gujarat, asked the delegates what was so special about the food made by our mothers. He went on to give the answer: “It’s the love that a mother adds to the food while cooking!” The feelings and emotions with which food is prepared affects its taste. It is the same with agriculture, he added. If farmers think positively, are peaceful, and nurture their produce in an eco-friendly way, then the foodgrains and vegetables they grow would be enriched and taste much better, he concluded.



Today, farmers use chemicals to kill pests and increase production, but this suffuses the crop with negativity as well as retains remnants of the pesticide, making the food unhealthy and in some cases, even toxic. Shashwat or perpetual yogic farming is the need of the hour. Yogic farming techniques can then help farmers grow healthier, sattvic and non-toxic food far less expensively.



The conference emphasised that man’s mental and moral degradation vitiates the environment, also because of moving from a need-based to a greed-based culture. Greed had resulted in ecological degradation and inequitable distribution of natural resources. Sarla implored: “We are an agriculture-based society, and we need to think about the development of our villages. Excess use of fertilisers and chemicals to increase yield destroys the natural nutrients of the soil. We need to change our attitude to bring back the natural balance.”



Kiran Rawal, a professor in a college at Adipur in Gujarat, added: “Chemical farming has a negative effect on the fertility of the soil. This might increase yield, but degrades our environment and has even been known to contribute to the cause of earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and global warming.



BK Sushant, national media coordinator of the Brahma Kumaris, urged people to overcome greed and stop exploiting nature in the interest of common benefit. The future of agriculture lies in blending science with spirituality and adopting yogic farming techniques that are compassionate and eco-friendly.



Delegates pointed out that farmers in certain parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat have been trying out the power of Rajayoga meditation; they are using innovative farming methods and organic fertilisers. The result: Better crop output. “Yogic farming helped me improve yield from 28 metric tons to 32 metric tons of sugarcane from just 4 acres”, says Brahmakumar Balasaheb Sripal Ruge, a shaswat farmer from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. For him, meditation proved a powerful tool: “Five minutes of meditation helped spread positive vibrations to mother earth. And you can also send out good wishes to every creature on the planet to make the world a better place to live in.”

[rcscwc]

Truth of farmer suicide





It is claimed that:



1. 70% population depends on agriculture.

2. That farmers are committing suicides at a frightening rate.



Every suicide is a sad event, no doubt. But some are sadder because a lot of politics makes them so. Are farmer's suicide really at alarming rates? What do our crie records, compiled by National Crimes Record Beareu say? [url="http://ncrb.nic.in/CD-ADSI2009/table-2.6.pdf"]http://ncrb.nic.in/CD-ADSI2009/table-2.6.pdf[/url]





In 2009, there were 1,27,151 suicides. How many farmers committed suicides? 17358 making up 13.7%.





How many people are in salaried class? Surely not 70%. How many of them killed themselves?



Govt 1714, 1.3%

Pvt sector 10720, 8.4%

Public sector 2914, 2.3%



Total 12.1%





Sadly, students comprise 5.3% of suicides.





Has any criminologist, sociologist, economist or a politician ever given a thought why student suicide, or that salaried class, is high? Is farmers' suicide rate really higher than these segments, considering the population?

[Capt M Kumar]

PATNA: Treading a path less travelled, two IITians have taken to agriculture after turning down lucrative job offers by MNCs and made a mark for themselves within a few months. Beginning their offbeat initiative in October 2010 in Vaishali district, their activities now span six districts in Bihar.



Meet Shashank Kumar, an IIT-Delhi graduate (2004-2008 batch), and Manish Kumar, an IIT-Kharagpur postgraduate (2005-10 batch), who have embarked on their mission to improve the lot of farmers in the backwaters of Bihar with the aim to empower them, much to the chagrin of their parents. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india...990911.cms

[Capt M Kumar]

If farmers begin to give up agriculture because it is getting increasingly unremunerative, the country could face a serious food crisis in the years to come. With the country’s population projected to reach close to 152 crores by 2030, the demand for food alone is expected to be 450 million tonnes. If the farmer-base were to shrink rapidly, it would be a tall order to meet that demand through domestic farm produce and India would have to depend on imported food. http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/i...-help.html

[rcscwc]

[quote name='Capt M Kumar' date='22 December 2011 - 06:39 AM' timestamp='1324515687' post='114072']

If farmers begin to give up agriculture because it is getting increasingly unremunerative, the country could face a serious food crisis in the years to come. With the country’s population projected to reach close to 152 crores by 2030, the demand for food alone is expected to be 450 million tonnes. If the farmer-base were to shrink rapidly, it would be a tall order to meet that demand through domestic farm produce and India would have to depend on imported food. [url="http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/50716-mere-lip-service-will-not-help.html"]http://www.dailypion...l-not-help.html[/url]

[/quote]

If many farmers quit farming, the vaccuum shall get filled by those who manage farming better. After the land mark textile strike, hundreds of mills closed in Mumbai. Better mills with improved technology came up and now the quality of cloth is far, far improved.



Btw, had farming been unremunerative, they would have given up yesterday.

[Husky]

Maybe I didn't look hard enough, but couldn't find an Agriculture thread in the Business & Economy section.

But a thread on the serious state of Farmers would be appropriate too, I suppose.



From the blog at bharatabharati.wordpress.com



The particularly interesting bits - that are relevant to the topic of Indian farmers/agriculture - are the comments by "cmn".



(The main article itself is called

VIDEO: Their Last Journey: Cattle trafficking to Kerala – Temple Worshippers Society

Posted on October 25, 2012 by IS)

cnm, on October 23, 2012 at 4:29 PM said:



[color="#0000FF"]There is a great deal of migration of youth belonging invariably to farmers’ families is taking place from rural India to cities or industrially developed locations. Such devastating is this immigration that if this trend continues all agricultural activities will come to a naught in next one decade or so. The reason for this migration is that agriculture is a thankless job in India. The anglicized, secular, anti-national elite class that has been ruling the country ever since the departure of the British never fails to look down upon the farmers as illiterate, uncouth, superstitious and what not. Besides, agriculture is no more a profitable profession in India. Expensive fertilizers, pesticides, non availability of cheap labour and the introduction of tractors and power tillers have rendered it unprofitable. So when industrialization has opened up opportunity for them to abandon agriculture they have done that even if they have to work as hapless labourers in industries in rather hostile conditions. I have no doubt that the MNCs (which include Indian Corporations also) engaged in farming are always in the look out of such opportunities to grab the uncultivated land of the poor Indian farmers who have to abandon farming for the above reasons. Sooner or later total agricultural sector will be in the hands of the MNCs. Now any body can guess what will happen to the Indians[/color]

Yeah well, the anglicised nitwits at the top of the social and political hierarchy in India - and who are eagerly directing India to its predictable doom - aren't known for having any working grey cells. So of course they would look down on farmers.

When everyone else - who has at least half a brain - knows that farmers/agriculture are a great boon (a great good fortune) to Hindu India. The primary sector is always the base for autonomy of a nation, and autonomy is the basis for self-determination. So if Indians kill that (or allow it to be killed) - then we deserve the consequences, nah?

I'm sure people will pseudo-intellectualise the "necessity" of this "progression" too. India's anglicised progressives are good at that.

Wish Indians would have studied what AmeriKKKa did to S America, instead of repeating the experiences in many ways.

Dr. Vijaya Rajiva, on October 24, 2012 at 2:11 PM said:



@cnn: is it possible to start self sufficient subsistence style farming as small enterprises? Then, the price of fertilisers etc. will not be as great a problem. And the availability of labour can be countered by family members chipping in.



A couple of years ago there was a report about a village which decided that it did not want Monsanto, because they saw the ill effects in neighbouring villages. So, a woman learned to ride a bycycle and rode all day around the village to drive off any agents from Monsanto.



She was called The General.

("The General"? Remind me not to get on the wrong side of her...)

cnm, on October 26, 2012 at 5:18 PM said:



[color="#0000FF"]Yes, Vijayaji, it is very much possible. Provided that every household has to tend desi cows as was the case in earlier days. Without cow self-sufficiency is just impossible. I can understand, for city dwellers it is difficult at the moment to rear cows but people living in rural India can do that with little effort. Besides, city dwellers have to find out ways to start rearing cows. After all it is a question of their survival. Whether we like it or not we have to give up the present form of industrialization fashioned after western model of development at one point of time or other or else we are heading for disaster for sure.



I hail from a place which is industrially the most developed district in Orissa. I must say that the thirty years of aggressive industrialization has turned my heaven like village to a virtual hell making it the most uninhabitable place in the state. It is now India’s one of the most polluted areas. Before the inception of industrialization, the district was the leading producer of all kinds of desi vegetables, pulses, sugar cane, oil seeds and other agricultural products in Orissa. The uniqueness of the agricultural products of my district is that they are matchless in quality and taste and they bear rich medicinal values. This apart, my district was famous for her forest produce as a large part of the district was under the cover of thick deciduous forest including a good number of sandal trees. Now, vegetables (mostly hybrid kinds), prices of which are unbelievably high, are being imported to this district from other parts of the state even outside the state. Agricultural activities are no more to be seen. Large chunks of agricultural lands have been acquired by various by different companies for setting up industries. People have become more or less indentured labourers and have been working with those companies which have grabbed their hearths and home for the establishment of plants. Now the irony is that these companies are making huge profits all at cost the people of the district. Various diseases resulting from severe environmental pollution is on the increase in the district. This apart, the crime rate has gone up in this area which was once a fairly peaceful place.



So desi cow is the key. It can solve our energy problem in the most sustainable way. Please read this article articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-12-08/edit-page/27160438_1_methane-gas-gobar-gas-lpg-and-kerosene. Similarly, our farmer-brothers do not need to depend on the poisonous chemical fertilizers and pesticides. For, cow dung is the best manure to be used in agricultural field. Again, cow urine can be used to prepare the best kind of pesticides. I have successfully prepared them and distributed them among farmers. They really work wonders. Besides, there is no need to use the fuel consuming tractors and power tillers as bullocks will come handy in ploughing fields. Once the usefulness of cow is restored people will start rearing cow sagain and stop selling them to butchers.[/color]

Hmmm. Reads like a typical cuddly Hindoo animal. (So too the cows, of course.)

One worries about these people. That their fates should be intertwined with that of losers.

[Meluhhan]

Wish Indians would have studied what AmeriKKKa did to S America, instead of repeating the experiences in many ways.

Be careful what you wish for, Husky.

Almost all of the nations in South America have living standards that are higher than India's.