CHENNAI: The National Commission on Farmers, headed by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, has suggested that the Minimum Support Price programme be extended to cover all crops to provide income security to small farmers. Arrangements should be made to ensure that the farmers, especially those in rain-fed areas, got the MSP at the right time and at the right place.

The commission, in its draft policy submitted recently, suggested the setting up of a `Market Risk Stabilisation Fund' jointly by Central and State Governments and financial institutions to protect the farmers from price fluctuations. It also stressed the need for an `Agriculture Risk Fund' to insulate the farmers from risks arising due to recurrent droughts and other weather aberrations.

Insurance

The commission stressed the need for expanding the scope of agricultural insurance policies. There should also be insurance provided by seed companies so that farmers who paid high prices for seeds such as GM crops did not suffer in case of crop failure.

As agriculture was a state subject State governments should set up a State Farmers Commission with an eminent farmer as chairperson. The membership of the commission should include all principal stakeholders in the farming enterprise. Such a commission should submit an annual report, which should be placed before the respective State legislature for discussion and decision.

As the problems of the farmers differed from State to State, the commission was for entrusting more responsibilities to local panchayats in agriculture extension activities such as land improvement, minor irrigation, animal husbandry, social forestry and small scale industries so that they could find area-specific solutions.

The State governments should show greater commitment to farmers' livelihood by allotting more funds for agriculture in addition to resources being made available by the Central Government.

The commission suggested that the name of the Ministry of Agriculture both at the Centre and States be changed to Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Suggesting a national policy for farmers to suit different agro-climatic, socio-economic and socio-cultural factors, the commission said a framework for such a policy had already been presented by it which could be suitably adapted and elaborated to suit local realities in different parts of the country. The policy would be revised after meeting stakeholders in different parts of the country and the second draft would be presented by the commission before its term expired in October this year.

The commission requested the Ministry of Agriculture to get the draft policy considered by various appropriate bodies so that a final draft could be put up by the Cabinet early in 2007. It will enable the national policy for farmers to be launched by August 15, next year.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail