Seema Hegde
After the strengthening of globalisation, wide range of products have entered the Indian Market. These products also include agricultural products. Most of the Indian farmers being marginal and poor are losing their age-old system of cultivation. Since the foreign countries dump their products in the Indian market at a lower price, these indigenous farmers are struggling hard to face the competition. It has become difficult for them to preserve the essence of their cultivation methods.
Today in many parts of our country, farmers are protesting the globalisation. In small villages too, farmers are forming young farmer associations in their communities. Government should take interest in assisting these local communities.
Local communities and young farmer associations must try to reduce their cost of production in order to face the competition arising due to globalisation. For that they have to use the indigenous seeds which are not genetically improved. These are more resistant to the diseases and need no pesticides. Moreover it has been already proved that indigenous products contain more nutrients and are more tastier. Hence these products should be kept separate. Government has to provide incentives for these farmers and also provide separate market for their products and see that they get better price.
One more step in reducing the cost of production is to reduce the cost of irrigation. For this, young farmer associations have to take steps to increase the level of underground water. This can be done by digging pits in the areas in the surroundings of the agricultural land. In rainy season, the water gets collected in these pits and gets into the soil. Practising this over many years naturally increases the under ground water level. This has already been proved scientifically. This in turn requires less of artificial irrigation and there by reduces the cost of irrigation. Labour cost should be minimised. For this purpose, young farmers have to develop a strong sense of co-operation between them.
One or two persons from each family should become the members of the farmer association. These members should participate in the works of every other person=s land such as, ploughing, sowing, seeding, harvesting, marketing etc. This is completely operated on the basis of co-operation. This also builds integration and unity among them.
This is mainly practiced in some of the villages, in the district of North Kanara in Karnataka State. For instance, in a small village called Mattigar in North Kanara district we can see people practicing this method. In their language they call it Muriyaalu which means every one doing every one=s work.
In that village, some 30 to 40 farmers have joined their hands to form an association to minimise the labour cost involved in their process of production. In that region, they mainly grow paddy (in little quantity), arecanut, cardamom and pepper. In their harvesting and growing seasons, these farmers go and work in every other member=s land. They need no extra labourers. In the remaining days, they also prepare the organic fertilizers which are required for their plants. They refuse to use genetically improved seeds and chemical fertilizers.
Mr. Vijay Hegde, 28 years old young farmer who is one of the members of their youth association, says, with this system of co-operation, we feel integrated. It gives us more spirit of work. For us, after this co-operative system, working is a pleasure. This system has made us to feel more united and secure because everyone is there to help everyone in times of crisis.
Such co-operative systems should be popularized. These systems should be spread throughout the country. Government should encourage these associations to grow those crops, which have greater demand. For this, market study has to be undertaken on a massive scale and farmers should be provided with adequate information.
With the assistance of the Government and local people, these farmers= association can be strengthened which could boost prospects of Indian farmers to compete with the products priced lesser and also helps them to maintain the very essence of their cultivation methods. By developing such associations, farmers can also live happily in this era of globalisation and more over, >co-operation= the concept of Indian origin can challenge the world wide concept of >globalisation=.
Seema Hegde, At. Hudelkoppa, Po, Bisalkoppa, Tq. Sirsi, Dist. North Kanara, Karnataka 581358
