Farmers’ problems have assumed new dimensions, says KRRS

KRRS leader Nagendra addresses global agricultural issues, calls for strengthening farmers' movement, criticizes government policies, and advocates for rural development.

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) leader Badagalpura Nagendra said here on Sunday the issues and problems facing the agricultural sector have assumed new dimensions in a globalised world that calls for strengthening the farmers movement.

He was speaking at the taluk-level meeting of the KRRS convened in the city to discuss agricultural and farmers issues. This is in the run-up to the State-level conference of KRRS slated to be held on October 26 at Chitradurga.

Mr. Nagendra said there was a time a few decades ago when farmers’ problems were local and could be resolved at the district or even the taluk level. However, issues related to agriculture in the present times have global dimensions and decisions taken in one part of the world has a cascading impact on farmers elsewhere due to globalisation.  

Hence this calls for a thorough and nuanced understanding of the issues so as to be in a position to take a stance that is beneficial to the farming community, said Mr. Nagendra. Hence the KRRS is committed to training youngsters so that the organisation can be strengthened and a new generation of leadership emerges, he added.

Mr. Nagendra said that the structure of the village had changed in recent decades and there was both flight of talent and migration from rural areas to urban centres in search of jobs. “We should strive to rebuild the villages in a manner to arrest migration and ensure that youngsters remain in their respective villages and pursue agriculture,” he added. “Agriculture as a profession and rural life was way better than leading an anonymous existence, doing odd jobs devoid of self-respect, in the cities,” said Mr. Nagendra.

The KRRS leaders flayed the Centre and the State governments for not conceding various demands of the farmers including the implementation of M.S. Swaminathan Committee report on agriculture pricing. Many of the laws enacted by the government are “anti-farmer” in nature and hence should be abrogated, said Mr. Nagendra citing the example of amendment to Land Reforms Act.

Though the Congress in Karnataka had announced in its manifesto that the amendments to the Land Reforms Act would be abrogated, the government was silent on it despite being in power for almost 18 months. Mr. Nagendra said many tillers were being evicted from their land as it was being declared as C and D land by the government and transferred to the Forest Department. Besides, land was being acquired for infrastructure projects like highways, airports, railways, etc., while farmlands near mines and quarries were turning unsuitable for cultivation, he added.