By Jagadish Pradhan* in Bhubaneswar, March 28, 2017 : It is a paradox that Bargarh district which is considered as the rice-bowl of Odisha had reported 32 farmers suicide during the Kharif 2015-16. Last year the Human Right Commission had taken note on the Farmers Suicide issue in Odisha. It was followed by the visit of Congress Vice–President Rahul Gandhi and many other leaders from different political parties to sympathize the bereaved families. Recently the Supreme Court has expressed its concern on the growing number of farm suicide cases in different states and expects the Government to address to the issue of Agrarian Crisis in a more concrete manner.

Since Agriculture is a state subject it is expected that the State Governments shall have to deal with the issue with a well planned long term strategy. While looking at the situation in Odisha it seems as if the State Government is yet to recognize the growing Agrarian distress in Odisha. The government seems to be complacent with a series of Krishi Karman Award received from the Centre but they have to take note that the ground reality is quite different from what they perceive or have been reporting on their achievements.

Recently the suicide of a small farmer Khainu Bagarty of Kendpali village has triggered hot debates in the state assembly and outside. The Agriculture Minister, however, is not willing to believe that failure of electricity supply to the irrigation pump set of Khainu resulted in devastation of his standing vegetable crops and for that he was under severe mental stress. Any way finally the assembly has resolved to set up a house committee to investigate into the matter.

The House Committee shall definitely come out with a clear report on the circumstances which led to the suicide of Khainu Bagarty. But will that report make the government to take up necessary steps to curb the growing distress of the farmers in Odisha? The incidence of few farmers’ suicides here and there is only the tip of the ice berg. The distress of the farmers throughout Odisha has already reached to an alarming state which the government needs to recognize.

During the recent months there has been distress sale of Tomato, Potato, Chilli, Pulses, Milk, Brinjal, Paddy and most of the crops grown by the farmers. Now there have been reports of distress sale of Mahua flower and various Non Timber forest produces as well. Marketing has emerged as a major problem for the farmers and more particularly after India’s entry into the W.T.O.

Since Global market is directly impacting the prices and market in our state as well, it is important that the state Government has to plan their programme and policies accordingly. Agriculture marketing and pricing of produces have became more complex than before and so also the livelihood of the farmers.

Considering all these the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) had strongly recommended that every state should constitute a permanent State Farmers Commission which would regularly monitor the agrarian situation in the state and periodically report to the Government for necessary action.

NCF had also clearly spelled out how such a Commission should be constituted and that all its reports must be placed before the State Assembly from time to time. The states where such commissions are set up, the state governments are getting immense support to plan their Agricultural programmes and to address to the problems in a more meaningful way.

As said earlier day by day the Agrarian Crisis in Odisha and elsewhere is becoming more complex and it cannot be solved by just distributing some relief to the farmers or by providing irrigation, seeds, credit and so on.

It is high time that our planners and policy makers look into the recommendations of the NCF and make their strategy accordingly.

*(Former Member, National Commission on Farmers (Government of India)