These numbers alone tell you that the Indian farmer is particularly poor. Change and reforms are needed. Farmer incomes have to rise. Agriculture has to become more productive, competitive and lucrative. There’s no reason it can’t. If Swiss and French cheese can become global brands, there’s no reason Indian dairy products can’t. If Colombian coffee can command a premium, there’s no reason Indian agri products can’t.
Actually, the only reason Indian agriculture won’t progress is what stops anyone in life from progress – resistance to change. We want change, but we are also scared to change. There’s a comfort or familiarity to the status quo. Change represents something new, unfamiliar and uncertain.
Many people hate their jobs. Deep down they want a change. However, the job gives them a salary, some benefits, predictability in life. Doing something different would bring in uncertainty and risks. Hence, people do nothing. They remain stuck in dead-end jobs, living a sub-par life. This change vs status quo paradox is classic human behaviour, and applies to an individual, organisation, company and even an entire nation.
Ask anyone if India needs to change, and the answer is yes. Get that change going, and the answer is ‘we are blocking all the highways to Delhi.’
Broadly, the new farming laws aim to liberalise agriculture. Currently, the farmers sell their produce at government approved mandis. The farmers get a minimum support price, which offers a certain amount of security. Middlemen and brokers abound even in the current system. The state of the Indian farmer is pathetic compared to global standards, but he or she still survives.
The new laws enable farmers to sell to private buyers, enter long term contracts and set prices with the buyers directly anywhere they want, independent of geographic location. In other words, the farmer is allowed to sell in the free market, which in the long term leads to the best returns as evidenced in almost every sector that was liberalised.
Is this big change a bit scary? Yes, of course it is. Is there a worst case scenario? Yes. The farmer might have a free market, but could have little or no bargaining power, leading to exploitation by the private buyers. This worst case scenario causes the fear of the new laws.
Make no mistake, the fear is real, the worst case scenarios are real. However, it’s not a rational way to make decisions. The laws may well have some issues. Some clauses may need reworking. However, a full repeal will be a step back for Indian agriculture. We say we want reform. To thwart any attempt to do so out of sheer fear makes no sense.
The bigger issue is, how do we deal with the status quo vs change paradox in life? The mistake we make when it comes to change is this – we compare the best case scenario of the current situation against the worst case scenario of the new change. We say, the current system assures farmers MSP and keeps them secure (best case) but the new system could lead to full exploitation (worst case). Notice what we did – we compared best case of the current system to worst case of the new system.
With such comparisons, you will never change. To cite the dead-end job example, it’s the same argument as ‘at least I get a salary. If I do my own business and it fails I will be ruined.’
Make no mistake, the fear is real, the worst case scenarios are real. However, it’s not a rational way to make decisions. The laws may well have some issues. Some clauses may need reworking. However, a full repeal will be a step back for Indian agriculture. We say we want reform. To thwart any attempt to do so out of sheer fear makes no sense.
The bigger issue is, how do we deal with the status quo vs change paradox in life? The mistake we make when it comes to change is this – we compare the best case scenario of the current situation against the worst case scenario of the new change. We say, the current system assures farmers MSP and keeps them secure (best case) but the new system could lead to full exploitation (worst case). Notice what we did – we compared best case of the current system to worst case of the new system.
With such comparisons, you will never change. To cite the dead-end job example, it’s the same argument as ‘at least I get a salary. If I do my own business and it fails I will be ruined.’
