Experts call for state-specific strategies to revive agriculture
Jaipur, June 26 (UNI) Experts today called for formulating state- specific strategies to improve comditions of farmers in the agricultural distressed zones and overcome the crisis in agriculture.
Participating at an all India symposium on ''Agriculture Crises and Farmers Commission : Response for States'' organised here jointly by the Make Trade Fair Campaign under Oxfam International and the Institute of Development Studies, eminent Agriculture economist Prof VS Vyas called for the need for state-specific strategies to improve the conditions of the farmers. He said '' the states should initiate an action plan to enhance the status of the farmers and farming income in their respective states.
Mr Vyas complained that interest and concern of the small and marginalsied farmers, landless agricultural labours is missing from the initiatives taken by the policy makers.
Prof Vyas suggested that to relieve the distress among the farmers provision of credit in the form of input supply, and crop insurance coverage and financial support to stabilise farm income should be made.
Mr Kumar Gautam of the Oxfam International pointed out that policy regime and diversification of agriculture would hardly lead to more employment. He said the post 1996-97 era is marked by reduction in rural employment and a slowdown in the farmers' income from agriculture.
A call was also made for the abolition of 'Aadatiya' (commission agent/broker) to ensure direct access of farmers to the market.
Experts came down heavily on the encouragement to contract farming as an alternative to agriculture produce marketing committees system.
Prof Sukhpal Singh of the IIM, Ahmedabad cautioned about the encouragement given to corporate farming in Gujarat where wasteland is leased out to private companies on a large scale, ignoring the interest of the rural poor including marginal farmers.
UNI