Contract farming more practical for agri development
A journalist-turned-politician, septuagenarian Rama Chandra Panda is a former Deputy Speaker of the Odisha Assembly, who not only believes in the concept of Plato’s philosopher king but also he has tried his best to practise it during his chequered political career. A moralist to the core, he had even resigned from the post of Deputy Speaker when an MLA raised questions about his delay for five minutes in occupying the chair. He was a member of the Assembly from 2000 to 2004. He has pronounced rulings of much value in the legislative history of Odisha. He was national vice-president of BJP Kisan Morcha from 2013 to 2015 and a State executive member of BJP. He was the Chairman of two State public sector undertakings, Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation and Odisha Agro Industries Corporation. A politician with the spark of a rebellion in him, he left the BJP to join Uma Bharti’s Bharatiya Janshakti Party in 2006. A Biju Patnaik loyalist, he joined the BJD in the presence of the party supremo Naveen Patnaik in 2017. A practising lawyer, he was also a faculty in the Department of Law in Berhampur University. His knack for Constitutional studies and parliamentary affairs got further enriched when he was chosen to join the Commonwealth study programme in the House of Commons, UK. A firebrand trade unionist, he breathes fire and brimstone when championing the cause of the complaining labourers. Reading and writing books, contributing articles to national and regional dailies are his principal occupation when he follows knowledge like a sinking star beyond the utmost horizon of human thoughts. Currently, he is an advisor to the Odisha Government in the Agriculture Department.
In an interview to The Pioneer, Panda spoke to Sugyan Choudhury on the many issues concerning farmers and about the agrarian scenario in Odisha.
You pioneered the Rusikulya-Mahanadi Link Movement. Can you tell us how and when you conceived this idea?
I started the movement in 1970. The idea entered into my head when I had a miraculous escape from the violent river waves by a divine dispensation. This happened in student days when I was pursuing studies in a nondescript village beside the river Rusikulya. Gradually, the movement gained momentum and had its impact throughout the State.
You were national vice-president of BJP Kisan Morcha. You observed that countrywide about 12 crore migrant labourers staged a comeback to their native rural bases. Is the agricultural sector large enough to accommodate them all?
If the Union and State Governments can ensure water supply to every field, another 500 lakh hectares can be added to Rabi cultivation which would easily accommodate about 5 crore migrants in their respective States in agricultural operations. Horticulture products have huge demand overseas. The States can prioritise horticulture and forest produce in tribal areas which has huge potential for opening up national and international markets. The country has vast cashew and mango orchards; if these are properly developed for commercial production and marketing, it would boost India’s economy. It may be mentioned that India comparatively exports less vegetables to other countries due to pressure of domestic demands and lack of preservation facility like cold storages. If India can make proper schemes to increase horticulture production, lots of labourers would be required for cultivation and food processing. Food processing like grading, packaging at production point can generate employment. The execution of the processing, packaging, etc., can be done through either SHGs or in PPP mode for generation of employment in rural India.
What kind of agrarian industries can be aligned in the country and especially in our State? Will the Government be able to extend the required support?
Establishment of need-based food processing units, cooling chambers should get priority. Contract farming should be encouraged which will bring another 10% farmland to the agro sector. Hitherto, farmers were reluctant to go for contract farming in fear of land rights. Protection of their land rights is being assured by statutory measures which would encourage farmers as well as absentee landlords to come forward for contract farming. This will increase agriculture areas and eventually generate employment and provide higher production, better quality for development of agriculture to make it attractive and sustainable. About 10 million people can be accommodated in rearing livestock, fishery. Revival of cottage industries like food processing, dress making, carpet weaving, pottery, tannery works, broom, rope making, carpentry, basket making. Bamboo plays a great role in making of baskets, chairs and various handicrafts and other household articles. Bamboo leaves are also good fodders for animals like goat and elephant which are in want for which hungry elephants are migrating to human habitation. Bamboo should be cultivated both in forest areas, foothills and riversides to increase fodder and develop cottage industry. Ctizens should be involved in plantation and for social audit. It is some times said that whatever is planted, 50% of it disappears after a couple of years. To arrest degradation of environment, every village should have a village tope for which 500 food-bearing trees should be planted as per availability of space, around water bodies and riverbanks.
Please throw some light on the ‘Farm to Home’ concept. Will farmers benefit from direct marketing of their produces without the help of APMC?
The ‘Farm to Home’ concept more relates to gardening, environment then agro production. Contract farming would be more practical to develop and sustain agriculture on a large scale that would also require deployment of more labourers. Let those who can afford go for farm house farming. Diversion to horticulture would help building economy. There should be growth of such farms in cluster. Formulating a careful strategy for micro processing and packaging for produces like groundnut, green gram, black gram, harad dal, chili powder, jeera, turmeric powder, etc., for marketing in small packages of 1 kg or 2 kg for retail sale may enlarge scope of employment. At present, some multinational and commercial houses are also purchasing such grains and millets and supplying to retailers after grading and packaging. RMCs in the States can provide need-based infrastructures like processing units at cluster points or feeder areas of the States.
