Informed policy to address farm distress

Informed policy to address farm distress

The death of five farmers during protests in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, is highly regrettable. The state and central governments must respond to rising farm distress and resultant agitations with both superior farm policy and more sophisticated policing and crowd control.
The police claim they did not fire upon the protesting farmers. The state government has correctly instituted a judicial inquiry. This investigation must be quick and thorough, its findings made public, and those responsible must be prosecuted.
Irrespective of the investigation, it must be acknowledged that the onus of ensuring peace, the safety of protesters and the general public lies with the police. The district administration and state government must review lapses and gaps that led to the violence, and institute measures to avoid future incidents.
Protests are integral to a democratic society and the police must be equipped to deal with all exigencies with the least amount of force. Unlike in neighbouring Maharashtra, the problem in Madhya Pradesh is one of overproduction.
Improved irrigation contributed to an annual agricultural growth rate of 20 per cent for the last five years, according to the state government. More produce has meant a drop in prices, with farmers unable to recover costs.
Amending the Mandi Act permitting farmers to delay sale of produce to regulate supply has not helped. A price stabilisation fund, procurement at high prices and sale to consumers at subsidised prices are stop-gap solutions, and costly ones, too.
The government must focus on the long term: capital investment in agriculture, reliable power supply in rural areas to run food processing plants, motorable roads and free movement of produce, to convert local gluts into supplies to national and global markets that enhance farmer incomes.