How to emancipate our poor and marginal farmers in India

Give a positive twist to words like 'emancipate poor and marginal farmers, profitable business for corporate and become agricultural behemoth in the world ' and it may seem rather confusing, ambitious or impractical. On a deep contemplation, ideas can emerge giving a thin ray of hope to emancipate poor and marginal farmers. It requires a concerted effort to create an unique partnership between Farmers, Corporate and Government. 

A fresh look warrents as all other methods have failed in the last 66 years. It is perplexing that despite huge money that has been spent in discovering the farmer's malady, ground situation remain unaltered. The suicides are rampant. With such infirmities can we feed the growing Indian population over the next 25 years?

To understand this paradox, many NGOs and through them many foreign bodies like Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank, Digital Green, Acumen Funds, to name a few are groping to find a way to emancipate farmers. Some think that teaching farmers with applied technology will solve the problems.  Some others think that selling good seeds or good fertilisers / pesticides could control growth on farms will alleviate farmers. Sadly these have just helped only large and big farmers and the agencies that bring these. Government feels that it understands farmer's problems clearly and make promises and pour in resources. Reality has shown that none of these work to improve the lot. Government's money is shipned off by the corrupt officials. These are ineffective and the problems of farmers remain as they were and in fact growing worse by the day. 

The growth in the Agricultural sector comes from large farm owners who are making money like the mint press. They enjoy the largess government allocates to this sector. They enjoy a tax break and are the wealthiest around in the Indian economy. They also corrupt the system. Many are involved in making laws on Agriculture that benefit these few.

Solution can be summerised as under:

Farmers do not want to be educated on how to farm, as they have been farming for years. They cannot afford or make use of technological improvements. So they suffer from the following issues:

1. Uneconomic extent of land, as they are fragmented and hence small in size.
2. Perpetual indebtedness; not much help from banking system that is corrupt.
3. Inability to secure good yields due adulterated seed quality.
4. Inability to market their produce profitably as multitudes of middlemen play havoc.
5. Poor infrastructure like roads or go downs lending to perish their valuable produce.
6. Corrupt officials who do not pay farmers their legitimate subsidies from Government.
7. Harassment of Government officials for any kind of inter phase. 
8. Poor rains that cripples even rain fed farming that affect them the most.

Having studied the problems over a few years, my gut says,that a new method is worth a try. 

1. Large tracts of lands are needed to farm economically and productively. So corporate can aggregate all the lands of farmers and conduct farming themselves, professionally. Farmers can work on the lands as labor and get paid. They will also own a piece in the corporate in the form of equity shares. Farmers need to be assured that their lands will not be taken away under any circumstance; not even on lease. Any assurance they may be required must be provided. When this is fixed other issues can be settled one by one.

2. Farmer's debts can be written off and adjusted in future profits. This will be a great Psychological impact. Their immediate worry of "where to go for the next meal " can be allayed by giving them one month cash needs as advance. This will reinforce their confidence and transparency in the project. 

3. Managing and Operating a farming business is far more difficult if not complex due to many unknown factors that may inhibit progress of the business. Hence formulating a plan B must be available readily.  Involvement of farmers who are partners and owners will be beneficial as they are well conversant with pit-falls and suggest rescue. This will also enhance their self esteem. 

4. Marketing plan to ensure best returns must be worked out before farming and putting land to use. Every hurdle farmer faces individually will cease and a new paradigm will set in. A win win for both!