"Our Farmers, Our Food" - Indian Agriculture

September 28, 2007

Thousands of Candles to Light up for Indian Farmers on Gandhi Jayanti

Following the initiative from Association for India's Development (AID), a volunteer movement based in the US and India, individuals and organizations from around the world have joined hands to participate in this unique global solidarity event. The locations range from cities like Washington, San Diego, Seattle and Austin in the US to New Delhi, Kolkata and other metros of India to small towns and rural areas of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and other states. The events will include rallies, street plays and candlelight vigils marked by readings of the names of farmers who have committed suicides in the recent past. On Oct 2, concerned citizens across the world are invited to join the vigils in various locations or light a candle in their own homes in solidarity with the farmers of India.

"If we ask 'What would Gandhi do?' in today's Indian context, it is clear that the thousands of suicides every year by distressed farmers, the shattered lives of their families, and the deep man-made agricultural crisis behind it all, would be driving him to action," says Kiran Vissa, director of AID. Gandhiji's first satyagraha actions in India were in Champaran, Bihar and Kheda, Gujarat during 1917-18, exactly 90 years ago to highlight the plight of exploited peasants. The British government was compelled to recognize the agrarian crisis of that time and conceded to the demand of canceling taxes paid by the farmers.

In contrast, despite non-violent action by groups such as the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, the Indian government has not addressed their core demands. The website of the Ministry of Agriculture does not even mention the agrarian crisis and farmer suicides. That our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh knows about the crisis is clear from his words: "Agriculture in many parts of the country is in a state of crisis...The fact that farmers are compelled to resort to suicides is a matter of deep concern for all," (Economic Times, 3 August 2007). However the Prime Minister's package for the Maharashtra farmers ignored many key demands of the farmers and has proved ineffective. Neither did the government waive the debts of the farmers in crisis areas like Vidarbha nor did it ensure that cotton farmers there got a minimum support price of Rs 2750 per quintal that was promised by his party during elections.

Even as the organizers are deeply moved by the continuing spate of farmer suicides – 836 in Vidarbha alone in 2007 – they strongly believe that the underlying causes need be addressed to find a long-term solution. Eminent journalist P. Sainath, who was awarded the 2007 Magsaysay Award, says, "The tragic farmers' suicides are, finally, an extreme symptom of a much deeper rural distress. The result of a decade-long onslaught on the livelihoods of millions. The crisis now goes way beyond the families ravaged by the suicides."

The government policies in the past fifteen years have consistently removed support structures for Indian farmers while promoting unsustainable, high-input agriculture which farmers, especially in dry areas, cannot afford to practice. "Through this global action, we would like to send a strong signal to the Indian government that the farmers' crisis has knocked the conscience of people around the world, and that they should immediately start implementing genuinely pro-farmer policies," says Somu Kumar, one of the chief organizers of the global event. The demands include strengthening the minimum support price system to cover the real cost of production, waiver of debt and proactive support to low-input sustainable agriculture especially in rainfed areas.

Here it must be mentioned that countries like USA subsidize farming. In a recent interview aired by PBS, Dr Sudhir Goel, a Commissioner of the Maharashtra government says: "$3.2 billion subsidy in America for roughly 25,000 cotton growers has certainly suppressed the cotton prices world over." If the American government can act for its farmers, why is the Indian government allowing our farmers to kill themselves?

Concerned people from around the world are encouraged to contact the organizers to participate in a nearby vigil or organize a vigil in their own locality. A collective petition from all the participants will be sent to the Indian government and various states. The event will be followed up by more sustained action in conjunction with farmers' groups, NGOs and movements in India.

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About Association for India's Development (AID): A non-profit organization and volunteer movement committed to promoting sustainable and equitable development in India, working with NGOs and movements in India in the areas of people's rights, livelihood generation, education, agriculture, water management, environment, primary health and appropriate technology. A.I.D. has about 35 chapters in the US, 10 in India, and a few in Australia, Canada, Singapore and so on.

Website: http://www.aidindia.org

References:

Website for Global Vigil: http://agri.aidindia.org/october2/

List of vigil locations: See Attached.

PM statement in Economic Times: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2253321.cms

Dept of agriculture: http://agricoop.nic.in/

PBS Film "Dying Fields": http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/vidarbha/index.html