Indian farmer seeks to be monsoon proof

The Indian farmer awaits the advent of the monsoon clouds every year with the eagerness of a would-be father. Every drop of rain rings the bell of prosperity in his ears and he starts counting his fortunes. He is forced to look up to the skies for divine blessings because the ground realities are the negatives he has to fight to earn his meagre living.

But this year the monsoon has been very unkind and has added much to the woes of the hapless Indian farmer. The death toll of over 500 apart, heavy rains lashing several parts of India have washed away crops and eroded almost three feet high soil from the farmlands. Experts say it indicates farmers can resume work only after about four months. Some have been totally devastated because the rains have rendered their land barren.

Any damage to agriculture deals a big blow to the Indian economy. The sector may account for only about 25 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), but it supports nearly 57 per cent of the population. According to a study by economist Arvind Virmani as much as 45 per cent of the variation in India's GDP over the last 50 years can be explained by the fluctuations in rainfall.

But what has the government done to protect its farmers from the vagaries of the monsoons? Little or nothing. One thing is common to all political parties that have occupied the hot seats in New Delhi - all have taken the surest way to secure farmers' votes by promising them protection from the calamities of nature. Unfortunately, mother nature still calls the shots.

Every budget spotlights on providing better irrigation and infrastructure, cheaper farm credit and insurance, better research, etc. But all those assurances appear to be false promises once the target of grabbing the power centre has been achieved. The government wriggles out of its responsibilities by one way or the other by citing either political or financial compulsions. One oft-cited excuse is: it is not the duty of the government alone. The private sector too must come forward to help the farmers.

Recently, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said in his meeting with the Parliamentary Consultative Committee, that the government hoped the private sector would supplement the public investment in agro-exports sector, pitching in greater investments than ever before. The government is seeking private investment in agricultural sector to develop cold chains, warehousing and transport facilities.

The Consultative Committee members stressed the urgent need to set up recognised laboratories whose certifications are accepted globally for export purposes. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Developments Authority said it would set up 12 centres across the country at a total cost of Rs25 billion for handling of agro-perishable exports. But don't all these come after the son of the soil is sure of his crop?

The government is supposed to provide the correct timing and intensity of the monsoons, farm loans at minimum interest rates, good seeds and extend all help to the farmers when their crop fails.

The burden of farmers' welfare has probably been too heavy, so the government is calling out for private help. The private sector cannot be called a shirker because a study shows the share of the private sector in capital formation in agriculture is approximately three times (in percentage terms) more than the public sector.

Asking the private sector for help in improving agricultural infrastructure is fully justified. But what about its own responsibility? When will the farmer see only prosperity in the monsoon clouds? The hapless soul is still waiting for an answer.