C M Sharma
World Food Day is observed on 16th of October every year under the aegis of the United Nations. It reminds the ‘well fed’ of their obligation to see that none goes to sleep hungry and undernourished. Yet, we have seen during the current year 2020 that mankind is replete with challenges in newer and unforeseen forms. None could ever imagine that the agricultural production systems also would be put to serious viability tests under measures like lockdown in COVID – 19 pandemic.
During April to June 2020 and even later, COVID-19 cast a pall of gloom over various agricultural operations. Deadly fear of the pandemic had triggered migration of ‘labour force’ from many states to their home towns and villages. Acute shortage of labourers was experienced for harvesting rabi season crops like wheat and sowing/ transplanting of kharif 2020 crops. Vegetable and flower growers were affected the most as all places of worship, hotels, dhabas, restaurants, celebrations (including marriages and festivals), get-togethers were closed and restrictions imposed on movement and opening of various commercial activities to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. Obviously, the food production and its availability to consumer came under severe threat for at least 3 to 4 months. World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 83-132 million people all over the world could get added to the existing nearly 690 million (9.86%) hungry people, due to COVID-19 pandemic, depending on the economic growth scenario.
Today is WORLD FOOD DAY
In India, credit goes to the resilience of farmers constituting more than 60 percent of the population who despite the COVID contributed to a record high procurement of 390 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat by the government during Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2020. They braved the peril from unexpected quarters by generally observing the prescribed SOPs. Facilitation by the government through interventions & schemes to use improved inputs, technology and communication systems added to their resolve to get higher yields.
The inherited habit and love amongst the elder generation for crop cultivation has all along served as a significant motivation for farmers to toil with the soil and produce the ‘ambrosia (food)’ which is, ‘fortunately & unfortunately’, valued the least in economic terms – fortunately, because a vast majority of not well to do farmers are the purchasers of this ‘ambrosia’ and unfortunately, because even those who can pay more for it, pay less to the grower.
It pains to admit that despite of the programmes and reforms by the governments aimed at poverty alleviation & technology promotion, a vast majority of farmers continue to face perpetual scarcity of rain or/and irrigation water. Their land holdings are small and scattered; returns per unit of investment are the minimal and shelf life of the produce is less forcing distress sales many a times. Inadequate and inappropriate storage, post harvest processing and marketing infrastructure at the farm gate level are topped up by round the year drudgery for want of adequate farm mechanization.
It should however sound music to the ears that despite of odds, the rice procurement in Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2019, from October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020, was the highest ever at 510 LMT. The Union Government made additional allocations of food grains to states from April to November 2020 under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) due to COVID-19. For these 8 months, the total allocation is 321.12 LMT (214.33 LMT for rice and 106.78 LMT for wheat (40.14 LMT per month).
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state governments would have found it impossible to find storage space for rice procurement in KMS 2020-21 but for the increase in allocation under PMGKY from 5 kg per person per month to 10 kg. The normal allocation under PDS in 2020-21 for wheat and rice is 239.23 LMT and 313.76 LMT respectively. There is a token allocation of 0.17 LMT of coarse grains too. Thus, the total allocation for 2020-21 is 587.30 LMT, which comes to 46.08 LMT per month.
The Centre has offered both wheat and rice free of cost and the state governments are reported to have lifted more than 90% of the allocation. On September 1, 2020, the food grain stock in the Central pool was 773.61 LMT against the previous year’s level 712.71 LMT and all this to ensure food for all.
Government in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir seems to be toeing the line of the Central Government to up lift the farmers and see that enough food and other agricultural items are produced and made available to its citizens. The Department of Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare has pressed all levels of extension officers and functionaries to provide technical support and also enlighten the PRIs, farmers and agri-entrepreneurs about financial assistance available under different schemes of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, etc.
Rice procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) has formally begun at 18 procurement centers of Jammu division for Kharif 2020 (KMS) proving the doubts of opponents of the “Three Farm Sector Bills” wrong. 50 percent subsidy announced by the UT government on transportation of 10 kinds of fruits and vegetables for a distance of more than 100 kms. and 50 percent subsidy to farmers on rental charges for cold storage and scientific stores for a period up to 3 months are other welcome initiatives of the Government.
Jan Sampark Abhiyan and Back to Village Programme (B2V) have been initiated through Agriculture and other concerned departments with full support from administration and the police for greater transparency in public life and to transfer latest knowledge about welfare schemes. Spirited participation has been observed in village to village, farm to farm and farmer to farmer contact programmes, but is that enough?
To address the issues of access of marginal and small holding farmers to finance, training, innovation and technology in the modern world information communication for awareness assumes great significance in modern world to improve their livelihoods whereas, over 3 billion people in the world lack access to internet and most of them live in rural and remote areas. In this direction, the intensive programmes like Jan Sampark Abhiyan and B2V (Phase 3 preceded by B2V2 and B2V1) may not be fulfilling many of the peoples demands, but it is for sure that these keep the officers and the Government regularly up dated about the issues at grass root level. Such institutionalized programmes keep the Governments on the tenterhooks to do the needful within the shortest possible time with need based planning and management of men, material and finance.
During the recent contact programmes in the UT, government officers under the personal guidance and supervision of senior most secretaries and executives in the administration have collected first hand feedback from farmers and PRIs, reviewed progress, recorded limitations whatsoever and launched activities under schemes such as Kisan Credit Card for finance, Soil Health Card for rebuilding the fertility of all important soils, distribution of improved seeds of different crops for rabi season 2020-21, arrangements being made for kharif seed 2021, establishment of pack houses, Jivika (Livelihood) Clusters and accelerating farm mechanization. Area based adoption of diversification through mushroom production, beekeeping, floriculture, fodder production, millets production, aromatic and medicinal plant production, spices and condiment crop production, fruit plants, agro-forestry and tree-borne oilseeds cultivation, organic farming have been recommended to farmers. However, the need for optimizing food production and productivity can’t be overlooked ever.
The weak and unorganized small farmers are being mobilized to form viable and vibrant Farmer Producer Organizations for appropriate agricultural enterprises in different districts. No doubt, water conservation efforts are also being accelerated, but much more needs to be done under the vital Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (for efficient irrigation) and Farm Mechanization. Standardization of inputs and technology for organic farming in specified clusters, building post harvest and marketing infrastructure and farmer friendly agri-insurance need greater emphasis.
Above all, a rationally spread out network of agriculture markets for producers and consumers and an effective public distribution system to ensure food for all at affordable costs and prices is the hallmark to measure success of observing World Food Days annually.
(The author is Dy. Director of Agriculture, Jammu (Retd)
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