The Hindu
Mangalore, May 8: A book, brought out by Mangalore University, highlights the agrarian crisis in coastal Karnataka and the absence of “reliable” official data on the issue. It calls for a comprehensive study on the struggle for survival by farmers.
The 88-page book, Karavali Karnatakada Abhivruddhi (Development of coastal Karnataka), is written by G.V. Joshi, a member of the Karnataka Planning Board, who retired recently from the post of professor in the Department of Economics in the university.
Asserting that the agrarian crisis has affected the economy of the region, the author urges the Government to accept this fact with an “open mind” and set up an agriculture research centre exclusively for the region.
In his book, he describes how owing to land reforms in 1974, the size of land owned by farmers kept diminishing to such an extent that agriculture was no longer sustainable.
“Deficit holdings”, as described by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, are growing he says. The farmers, who largely depend on paddy, are forced to sell their landholdings and become farm labourers or migrate to towns in search of work.
According to Mr. Joshi, agricultural lands in the region are sought more for non-agricultural activities than for farming.
Ponds and tanks, on the other hand, are full of silt and water stagnates for a long time in paddy fields even after light rain. Besides, paddy fields were indiscriminately being used to erect buildings, the author points out.
The book goes on to say that the biggest problem is “failure” of the Government machinery to hold a mirror to the crisis in the form of statistics. It says that during 2004-07, 6,000 hectares of agricultural land was used for non-agricultural purposes in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada. In 1990s, about 2,000 hectares of agricultural land in Dakshina Kannada had met the same fate. But the Government not only failed to record this, but presented a wrong picture, the author claims.
Government statistics on diminishing forest cover, which impacts monsoons, have been misleading, claims the author. In Uttara Kannada district, official statistics put the forest cover at 80 per cent, whereas in reality it is only half that, the author says.
Closed down
He points out at the “daylight theft” of wood from the forest. The schemes made on the basis of unreliable data meet their end even as they are born. The author says without giving examples that the many agriculture allied industries have been closed down.
Suggestions
The author, who draws attention to problems related to industries and fisheries and opportunities in the tourism sector, suggests that novel forms of cooperative efforts are needed to resurrect agriculture. It is possible to improve agricultural yield through a scientific approach and by amending the law to provide for group cultivation. Gram panchayats and non-governmental organisations should help in afforestation, soil protection, flood prevention, common fencing and effective use of irrigation facilities and agricultural implements, says the author in his book.
A copy of the book, priced at Rs. 22, has been sent to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.