Its been close to two years since much has happened at the land (previous post) ... mostly due to some issues with the land dimensions with the seller, the broker running out of money due to failed crop, my own busy schedule, arrival of the little angle: my second daughter ... but at last some movement!
Finally the land now has a fence and the gate is getting ready. Hopefully by next week the gate will be installed and then will get some traction in getting some water source up ... it will be a borewell to start with and then think of some other environment friendly way to supplement this.
What really caught my attention during this period is how fragile and vulnerable the rural economic fabric is. Take the broker I work with for example. He is educated and has a decent (in comparison) land holding of 4 acres. To supplement his income he does some land dealings. Has his own house, has one young daughter and doesn't indulge in any excesses. So for an outsider he should be leading a fairly straight-forward life! Last year, before the rains started, he went for tomato as his crop for the season (rainy season is the most awaited season as, unless one has electricity and borewell, which is quote rare, is the only time people farm!). Unfortunately for him, while the crop itself was a good one, the price of tomato plummeted and he couldn't even recover half of what he invested. He was therefore forced to take up a job in a mandi near Coimbatore (thanks to his education!)
What really impacted was not that his crop did not fetch him enough, but because he had taken a sizable loan for the pesticides and fertilizers (which, I learnt, is more that 60% of the total input cost). What he (and most farmers) doesn't acknowledge is that another reason for the mess he was in is because he put all his eggs in one basket. If he had planted a mixed crop, he would have hedged himself against fluctuation in the prices of any one vegetable! The alarming regularity of such incidences, coupled with negligible macro economic net for protection (low interest loans, insurance, etc.) makes the lives of most farmers so vulnerable that one bad season could take an entire community to the edge of despair!
And the way government is looking at farming in India (intensive farming, free electricity, centralized irrigation, GM!!! and what not), the situation for the farmer isn't getting any better any soon!
Do leave your thoughts on what can we as individuals to to help in any which way possible!
Finally the land now has a fence and the gate is getting ready. Hopefully by next week the gate will be installed and then will get some traction in getting some water source up ... it will be a borewell to start with and then think of some other environment friendly way to supplement this.
What really caught my attention during this period is how fragile and vulnerable the rural economic fabric is. Take the broker I work with for example. He is educated and has a decent (in comparison) land holding of 4 acres. To supplement his income he does some land dealings. Has his own house, has one young daughter and doesn't indulge in any excesses. So for an outsider he should be leading a fairly straight-forward life! Last year, before the rains started, he went for tomato as his crop for the season (rainy season is the most awaited season as, unless one has electricity and borewell, which is quote rare, is the only time people farm!). Unfortunately for him, while the crop itself was a good one, the price of tomato plummeted and he couldn't even recover half of what he invested. He was therefore forced to take up a job in a mandi near Coimbatore (thanks to his education!)
What really impacted was not that his crop did not fetch him enough, but because he had taken a sizable loan for the pesticides and fertilizers (which, I learnt, is more that 60% of the total input cost). What he (and most farmers) doesn't acknowledge is that another reason for the mess he was in is because he put all his eggs in one basket. If he had planted a mixed crop, he would have hedged himself against fluctuation in the prices of any one vegetable! The alarming regularity of such incidences, coupled with negligible macro economic net for protection (low interest loans, insurance, etc.) makes the lives of most farmers so vulnerable that one bad season could take an entire community to the edge of despair!
And the way government is looking at farming in India (intensive farming, free electricity, centralized irrigation, GM!!! and what not), the situation for the farmer isn't getting any better any soon!
Do leave your thoughts on what can we as individuals to to help in any which way possible!
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