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Dear Readers:

Forwarding you the latest article from Dr. Prasanna Mishra for your perusal and comments..

http://hindtoday.com/Blogs/ViewBlogsV2.aspx?HTAdvtId=8430&HTAdvtPlaceCode=IND674ORISSA

[image: Photo] Dr.PRASANNA MISHRA AGRICULTURE POLICY SHOULD ENSURE GREATER APPLICATION OF SKILL AND HIGHER INCOME FOR LABOUR -By Dr.PRASANNA MISHRABlogPosted By: hindtodaynews on:10/3/2011 1:06:00 AM Dr. Prasanna Mishra

It is desirable to transform agriculture into an enterprise. To let this happen, we should facilitate capital investment in critical areas. However, while doing so, we need to take note of the skewed land holding pattern in Orissa where 20% families own 80% of the land. Can we in effect ensure successful transition from traditional agriculture to entrepreneurial farming by bestowing state largess only on the affluent segment of our farming community? This is what Orissa’s present policy seems to be prescribing. This approach overlooks the basic fact that expenditure in any farming enterprise comprises—apart from the cost of land—capital and recurring expenditure and cost of human labour. It seems our policy makers do not foresee any problem on labour front to make our agriculture run like a successful enterprise; presumably on the assumption that the large pool of poor small and marginal farmers as well as landless labour would be contributing overwhelmingly and enthusiastically to the process of transition of our agriculture sector. We need, however, to appreciate that the labour force, being members of the same society in which the potential entrepreneurs live, are also equally keen for a handsome share in the commercialisation drive. Unfortunately, being resource poor, they neither have enough land nor money to contribute their share of investment. As a result, most of the small and marginal farmers and agricultural labourers will be unable to participate in the planned transition. This appears to be a serious drawback in the present approach and calls for a solution.

We must appreciate the indispensable role of human labour as an important input along with machines in agricultural operations. Here institutional ownership of machines does not prove an effective solution. At the same time, individual entrepreneurs may prove too self-oriented to be trusted to extend fair benefit to landless labour or small and marginal farmers who would like to participate in the process of commercialisation. Therefore, we shall have to equip labour with bullocks; bullock drawn improved implements and appropriate hand tools. So equipped, these people may form small labour groups for taking up operational contracts from different entrepreneurs. When demand for their skilled work increases, they could be encouraged to own small machines like power plough, power weeders and power threshers cum winnower to improve productivity with proportionate increase in daily earnings. If any enterprise is big enough, they may hire several groups. We need to promote such organised and skilled labour groups so that the genuine expectations and interests of the labour– fair wage, insurance benefits etc– are safeguarded. Then only will the idea of commercialisation succeed. Wadakkancherry Panchayat in Thrissur District of Kerala came up with an innovative way to deal with shortage of agriculture labour in Kerala. The Panchayat created a skilled labour Bank, called the Green Army, comprising persons adept in agricultural techniques and in the use of agricultural machinery. This went a long way in easing the labour shortage. As a result, the area under cultivation in the Block increased. They are now trying to increase the strength of the Green Army and ensure that the members get work for 200 days every year. There is also a plan to provide them with insurance cover and pension. This is definitely an innovative plan that could be adopted elsewhere as well. In Orissa we could work towards such arrangement and government could make provision of subsidy up to 90% on various items so that the labour can be well equipped. Loan without any collateral may be made available to such groups with Government guarantee. Unless this kind of intervention is made, scarcity of motivated and skilled agricultural labour would persist, which will compel the entrepreneurs to give up commercial agriculture. As a result, most of the medium and large holdings will be left fallow. We should earnestly try to organise the needy small and marginal farmers and landless labourers, viewing them as equally important partners (as human capital) for meaningful participation in any enterprise. This will enable a landlord to carry out on-farm operations on contract, while he may concentrate on the off-farm activities (processing/marketing & management etc).

Such a policy will ensure greater employment opportunities for the small &marginal farmers as well as landless labourers while enabling entrepreneurs to spend time on the commercial aspects, leading to ultimate success of the enterprise. Agricultural wage rates are usually low because individually labourers lack bargaining power. In order that they are able to bargain with the entrepreneurs for a fair wage, they need to be initially empowered by equipping them with a pair of bullocks, necessary improved implements and hand tools. Later they may think of acquiring small power tools like a power plough and a small electrically operated power thresher cum winnower as well. The farm mechanization program should ensure easy and adequate availability of equipment catering to the needs of these groups.

With such an approach we can trigger commercialisation in large and medium holdings and make a large number of landless labourers and small and marginal farmers partners in prosperity as well. But, we should also make the right intervention for small and marginal holdings and their modest owners so that the intended transformation process does not remain confined to only the affluent segment of our farmer community. For this a few programmes, discussed below, may have to be taken up.

Even if we are able to diversify crops in uplands, rice will continue to be cultivated in medium and lowland. These lands will need up gradation. Irrigation facilities created so far in the state has been modest. Design of our irrigation projects has been such that the projects utilise only 12% of rainfall received in their catchments. Bulk of the rain water is wasted as run off. When the coverage of irrigated land in the state is small, investment on other inputs like high yielding seeds, fertilizers, soil amendments and machinery is very likely to lead to sub-optimum utilisation. Investment on pumps and tube wells may ultimately prove futile without water, retention of which after runoff and evaporation losses is mere 10% in the rain fed areas. Pumps are lifting devices, they cannot create water. We have to make meaningful amends and ensure much higher absorption of rain water at the place it falls. If we succeed, agriculture will provide greater job opportunities to the small farmers and landless labourers and would lead to higher productivity.

While we may plan to raise the production of certified paddy seeds we need to pay attention as well to preserve the germ-plasm of around 200 varieties of local paddy seeds by encouraging their continued use. Besides low production cost, the local seeds have a reasonably long dormancy period, which becomes a useful feature in case of late rain; preventing sprouting of seeds in the field or threshing yard. Farmers should be encouraged to take up organic farming which, being less costly, is beneficial for the small and marginal farmers. Organic farming would lead to extensive use of home-made organic compost. Bio pesticide prepared with cattle urine, neem and karanja seeds should be promoted to cut down cost of farming.

We should give much greater thrust on SRI (System of Rice Intensification) method of cultivation for rice and other field crops. It, combined with organic farming, could be a key factor in boosting production . This method can combat drought in rain fed areas. This is because placing seeds/seedlings wide apart (250mm X 250mm) with no standing water promotes profuse root development enabling the plants to collect moisture from deeper levels. Since scarcity of water is becoming an important concern, a more vigorous drive on SRI method than what is currently being planned appears to be the need of the hour.

Integrated farming— maintaining dairy, poultry, fishery, bee colonies etc along with growing crop— is becoming rarer by the day because these are labour intensive activities and need close supervision. Large farmers are slowly moving away from this activity. Through suitable partnership between large and small farmers we can revive such activities,

An agriculture policy that is tilted in favour of larger land holdings– our state policy looks that way— cannot be an appropriate vehicle to ensure the intended transformation in the agriculture sector. Millions of our people revolve round agriculture and we have to take them along to transform the sector. The need of the time is to equip them well; to make them acquire necessary tools with state support and improve their productivity so that their participation adds value to our agriculture.

(The writer is a former secretary to Govt. of India )

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