This refers to T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan's column "Farming: Barking up the wrong trees" (Text & Context, April 26). The travesty of our democracy is that people who constitute 60 per cent of population remain unrepresented in the media. People who write about farming and its problems seldom present the complete picture of agriculture distress. They give suggestions through their narrow lens.
In this column, the author is doubtful of the skills of farmers. As a farmer's son, I can say that farming needs skill as much as other professions. It is not a casual affair. To be an efficient betel nut leaf cutter, he or she sometimes requires training of more than a year. This is his skill but he has failed to acquire marketing skills where unscrupulous middlemen exploit him.
It is obvious that technology increases productivity but it is wrong to say that it doesn't increase with an increase in the farmer's skills. Modern technology needs skills to operate it. Our extension services in agriculture have failed to upgrade the skills of farmers.
There is a lot of discussion about the small farm size and its incompatibility with mechanisation, but our neighbour China has achieved more productivity than we have with small farmland size. China's per capita farmland size is less than ours but they modified technology for their small farmland. They produce and use small tractors instead of big ones. Purchasing big tractors is one of the reasons many Indian farmers are in debt. Tractor manufacturers have benefitted more than the farmers from this move.
It is a different question whether inheritance laws, specifically made for farmers, will stand the scrutiny of our courts. We need technology that is suitable and adaptable for Indian conditions. So, we should implement 'Make in India' for rural India also.
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number
In this column, the author is doubtful of the skills of farmers. As a farmer's son, I can say that farming needs skill as much as other professions. It is not a casual affair. To be an efficient betel nut leaf cutter, he or she sometimes requires training of more than a year. This is his skill but he has failed to acquire marketing skills where unscrupulous middlemen exploit him.
It is obvious that technology increases productivity but it is wrong to say that it doesn't increase with an increase in the farmer's skills. Modern technology needs skills to operate it. Our extension services in agriculture have failed to upgrade the skills of farmers.
There is a lot of discussion about the small farm size and its incompatibility with mechanisation, but our neighbour China has achieved more productivity than we have with small farmland size. China's per capita farmland size is less than ours but they modified technology for their small farmland. They produce and use small tractors instead of big ones. Purchasing big tractors is one of the reasons many Indian farmers are in debt. Tractor manufacturers have benefitted more than the farmers from this move.
It is a different question whether inheritance laws, specifically made for farmers, will stand the scrutiny of our courts. We need technology that is suitable and adaptable for Indian conditions. So, we should implement 'Make in India' for rural India also.
Shridhar Ravsaheb Limbikai Sangli
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number