“Contact Farming”: Solution for Farmers Suicide

“Future belongs to nations with grains not guns”- M S Swaminathan

 65 years of independence and still our farmers are committing suicide this needs to be thought seriously with root cause analysis. Why a farmer commit suicide reason is obvious due to economic burden. But how farmer gets trapped into this economic burden here are some reasons in-sufficient rain fall, other natural calamities, price fluctuation in market, crop failure due to pest, post-harvest losses, lower productivity, higher cost of production. For first two reasons what we all could do is water conservation, water budgeting; Crop insurance is another way to protect farmer from the natural calamities. Rest all reasons are products of inefficient supply chain and access to information. Let’s start from sowing...

For agri-input like seeds, fertilizers he has to depend on whatever his input dealer is recommending he is not getting aware himself what suits his soil, soil testing  is not there which results in excessive use of fertilizers means higher cost of production.

 Average land holding is very less in India when a small and marginal farmer buys agriculture machinery on bank credit in that case he works for bank for repayment of loan with his less farmland which could not repay loan which ultimately result into economic burden. Indian farmer is way behind of world average productivity due to lack of technological advancement, high yielding genetically modified crops (GM) can boost this productivity.

 Farmers are producing and pushing in market whatever will be demand and price trend. Demand forecasting is completely absent in India.

 With his whole year extensive hard work when he is ready with harvest and sales his produce then middleman frauds with him a lot as he don’t know price trend in market and he is in need of money.

 The agro-food supply chain can be strengthened with the help of information technology (IT). Demand forecasting of each commodity with help food processing industry and consumption pattern needs to be carried out and made available to farmers. We are importing 60% of our edible oil requirement whereas we are overproducing sugarcane. We are top producer of fruits and vegetable in world and other hand Indian juice manufacturers imports 60% tomato puree, orange concentrate, pineapple concentrate etc.

 Farmers need to be made aware himself what product has good market and can be sold domestic and international market. Food processing industry can play intermediary role here. Cold storage and warehouse should be available online so that farmers/traders can store their produce.

 Farmers should get direct access to the processor to know their raw material specification; good agriculture practices needs to be implemented.  Creation of farmers group or converting into Producer Company is required so that they can afford hi- tech agriculture machinery and utilize it fully among the group.

 If agriculture input manufacturer want to launch new crop variety or agro-chemical he should able to access farmer with lesser cost and efforts. Regional farmers group should be created on dedicated web portal which will be used for information sharing.

Worldwide organic produce market is growing and these products doesn’t need expensive chemical fertilizers which not only helps in lowering economic burden but also fetch higher price and pesticides but Indian farmers doesn’t know whom to approach and where to get this certification.

 Agri-input manufacturer – Farmers - Processor needs to be brought on a common platform and campaign of “Contact Farming” launched nationwide. With this food industry will get their raw material in domestic market and after processing they sell in domestic and overseas market. If we could club Modiji’s “Make in India” with “Contact Farming” then we can be world food suppliers and future will be ours.

Gajanan Kalyane

Founder

FoodCognics

www.foodcognics.com

Email: [email protected]FoodCognics