1 Sep, 2012
Price of ignoring farmer wisdom
It is time that farmers set the nation’s farming agenda, focused on genuine farming issues without letting manipulative politicians reap benefits from false promises
1 Jul, 2012
Power of ‘native’ intelligence
A refusal to understand and learn from farmer experience has been the bane of Indian agriculture. So has the refusal to invest in Indian research and development.
1 May, 2012
Perverse politics; endangered farmer
Security means being able to fend for oneself. India can only feed everyone if it first ensures soil health in its farms and the financial health of the farmer.
16 Mar, 2012
Budget to hide, misguide
The budget reveals the government intent to increase agriculture production, but unfortunately this budget will not increase farmer prosperity. A national mission on food processing being established to help in diversification of agriculture. Along with tax incentives to the private sector to provide extension services, it will be a boon for agriculture producers. By giving incentives for increasing fertiliser production capacity in India, there is hope to reduce dependence on imported fertilisers.
8 Jan, 2012
Harvesting neglect
Despite myriad difficulties, farmers will meet national targets of food production but will the nation work to make farming a profitable profession?
1 Jan, 2012
Time for remunerative agriculture?
The problem is agriculture, the largest private sector enterprise, is unprofitable today. It would not have become so had the country made serious investments in agriculture.
6 Dec, 2011
Foreign retailers can be a blessing for Indian farmers
Ajay Vir Jakhar said, government’s decision to allow foreign retailers into country will be a welcoming step if they succeed in surpassing middleman.
31 Aug, 2011
The farmer-FDI future
Mahatma Gandhi said that “the world holds enough for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed.” Being a citrus fruit farmer from Abohar in Punjab I can tell you how right he was. The same citrus that I sell on my farm at ₹16 per kg. Sells for ₹50 at Khan market in New Delhi or on the sidewalk of Napean Sea Road in Mumbai after two days. Now that is what one would call a killing,” says Mr Ajay Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj, New Delhi. Over 50 per cent of Punjab’s citrus cultivated in 55,000 acres grows within 30 km of the villages.
7 Jul, 2011
Grey policy; black and white impact
There is nothing black and white, every policy and decision is grey, some with deeper hues of black or white. Policies represent trade-offs between benefits to one and losses to others.
1 Jul, 2011
A culture misunderstood: agriculture
It is perfectly fair for the government to consider the plight of small and medium enterprises and small kirana store owners vis-à-vis FDI but what about the farmer?
