Published in Dwarka Express on 24.12.2022

Rashtriya Kisan Diwas or National farmers day 23.12.2022!

A day to thank the farmers! This day is observed on 23^rd of December every year to commemorate the Birth anniversary of Choudhary Charan Singh, India’s fifth Prime Minister. But how many know that there is a day for farmers? If a survey is taken to know when is the National Farmers Day observed, perhaps 80% of respondents may not be able to recall. In a way, no one is to blame, as on the one hand there are myriad ‘days to celebrate’, and on the other, there are many other priorities from the day of genesis. If a day is celebrated to thank, wish or socialise, then did we do that for at least one farmer on this day. If you happen to travel in a train or a bus on the countryside on this day, one can notice the poor landless farmer toiling busy in their daily farming activities. Unless they toil this day, they may not reap their crop in the ensuing harvest month.  Come January, various regional festivals like Sankranti, Pongal and Makar Sankranti are eagerly awaited by all, especially the farmers. If alone the Rain God is kind enough and the storms cross the shores silently, there will be some relief or else, the farmer is not going to be happy.  

“Farmers, our annadattas are the reason we all can sit in our comforts and have food and live easy. But its important for us all as consumers to ensure a good fair portion of what we spend on the food produce goes back to them. We should also encourage and buy food that is produced without chemicals, organically using heirloom seeds with best practices. While we are at it, let us also resolve to recognise the invisible women and landless farmers too for their great contribution” says the Ananthoo, a Sustainable Agriculture & safe food activist, Chennai As per data from department of Agriculture & farmers welfare, The share of the agriculture & allied sector in total Gross value added in the economy, improved to 20.2 per cent in the year 2020-21 and 18.8 per cent in 2021-22. This may be a good trend but overall share of agriculture in GDP is not that encouraging

It is estimated that India’s agriculture sector accounts only for around 14 percent of the country’s economy but for 42 percent of total employment. As around 55 percent of India’s arable land depends on precipitation, the amount of rainfall during the monsoon season is very important for economic activity. Given the scenario, one may conclude that farmers may not and will not be happy unless timely action is taken for farmers welfare, food security and dependence on indigenous produces, preferably organic

V. Selvarajan