Friends,
Last point grabbed my attention and I think this is one area we can do
a lot more. This list is not a comprehensive list in any sense. Only my
observations and thoughts. Please feel free to add to the list. Sorry,
this is a bit long, but deservedly so.
Let me know how else we can help the farm sector and make it into a
sustainable/robust industry.
Regards,
Chandu
"When farmers can get more from their land, when they can understand
global markets better, when they can produce niche products for
different markets, that's when India will really turn around."
When farmers can get more from their land:
· What is done?
o AP Government, in collaboration with Academia and other Nations,
developed soil mapping techniques and mapped most of the agricultural
land
o Developed and used IC around the need and advantages of crop rotation
o Developed better seed/fertilizer/pesticide selection, use, and
educated farmers
o Developed better water management techniques
· What needs to be done?
o Price assurance for farm produce (in the absence of a robust free
market)
o Educate on limiting the input costs - If a farmer makes Rs. 100 per
every Rs 1,000 invested, should he invest Rs. 2000 to get Rs. 125
instead? These numbers are fictional, but hope you see the point. Prof.
Rama Rao of Nagarjuna University is grappling with this very question.
How to educate where to draw the line in selecting
seeds/fertilizers/pesticides etc.
o Farmers should be facilitated, and encouraged to add-value to their
farm produce and avoid selling in the basic forms.
o Encourage entrepreneurs to develop and promote packaging, storing and
distribution of farm produce.
o Create robust policies and promote open farm insurance, encouraging
farm investments.
· How IT can help?
o Data on crops, crop acreage, projected market demand, probable market
price etc. for a given crop is available but seems spread all over. IT
systems can greatly improve how the farmer gets the "information"
in a timely fashion.
o Use IT systems to gather, store, analyze, glean information, and also
to deliver the same to the farmers and administrators just-in-time.
o Use IT systems to limit middle-men
When farmers can understand global markets better:
· What is done?
o Negotiating with other countries for better trading arrangements
· What needs to be done?
o Need to address the concerns of developed countries and make efforts
to win those markets for our farm produce
o Our Governments should make it a priority to make
aggressive/sustainable deals with other governments to help farmers
sell the produce to a broader base
· How IT can help?
o Given the labeling technology, and advances made in RFID should make
our produce tracked better. This goes a long way in not only tracking
for our own food safety, but to get the mature markets to accept our
produce
o IT systems can help promote the acceptable agro practices, should we
be able to sell our produce to foreign markets
When farmers can produce niche products for different markets:
· What is done?
o Some farmers are convinced about non-food produce/ commercial crops
o Recommendations are developed and made available to farmers
· What needs to be done?
o More education on other possibilities
o Aggressive horticulture push
o Educate public at large to appreciate and consume such farm products
(like flowers, decorating leaves, etc)
o Access to low interest loans, subsidies with sun set provisions to
help grow the market place
o Last year, TV9 had a campaign educating citizens on the value of
switching to fresh coconut water from soft drinks. We need more of
these. NGOs can play a bigger role in promoting good habits while
helping the farming industry
o Health workers/doctors/teachers can promote good health
habits/practices there by promoting the farm industry
· How IT can help?
o IT Systems can make the information accessible and can also broadcast
market conditions for alternate farm products, almost real time
o Farmers should be made integral to such a networked market place to
learn/practice/sell his produce/products
No comments:
Post a Comment