Bitter Seeds - How Indian development strategy has failed the poor.
It is officially agreed that almost 400 million people, one-third of
the population of India, are poor. The poverty is more in the villages
than in the cities. The overwhelming number of people living in
villages ( about 70%) depend on agriculture (about 60%) which
contributes only about 15% to the GDP. This gives an indication of the
poverty in rural India. It is in this context that we have to
appreciate the documentary, Bitter Seeds, made by the Israeli-American
filmmaker, Micha X Paled (India Abroad,June 22).
India had neglected the agriculture since the second five-year plan,
and had to depend on American wheat to feed its teeming millions - it
used to be said 'ship-to-mouth' existence. The Green Revolution
started in India in the late sixties with the high-yielding varieties
of seeds, increased use of fertilizers and expansion of irrigation.
Dr.Norman Borlaug and Dr.M.S.Swaminathan brought about this
revolution. The government set-up a network of extension services for
the distribution of seeds, fertilizers and introduced minimum support
price for the wheat produced.
This was not extended to all the regions of India but was confined to
mainly to Punjab and Haryana. The Green Revolution had its own adverse
effects such as degradation of of soil due to extensive use of
fertilizers and pesticides. It also led to depletion of water table.
The Green Revolution did not reach other crops such as cotton at all.
Bt cotton seeds introduced by Monsanto and its Indian partner,Mahyco
(Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co.) assured higher yield. These seeds were
what are called, 'terminator' seeds - they cannot be used again and
the farmers have to purchase new seeds in every season at an increased
price. Cotton-growing area of Vidarbha in Maharashtra is a
drought-prone region. Many farmers have to depend on money-lenders for
loan. If the crop fails or if the price of cotton falls due to
over-production or import, these farmers find no alternative to
suicide.
The government has to increase irrigation facilities in the region. It
has to provide easy credit facilities through nationalized/cooperative
banks.Its agricultural research institutes have to develop new cotton
seeds or promote new crops such as soya beans or upgrade the
traditional crops such jowar (sorghum) and bajra ( pearl millet). It
has to facilitate formation of cooperatives of farmers to market the
produce. It is to be hoped the documentary wakes up the government to
the urgent need to attend to the problems of the farmers in Vidarbha.
http://www.indiaabroad-digital.com/indiaabroad/20120622?sub_id=z1RM6Qp6YN3y#pg36.
June 26,2012.
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