The government of India constituted a committee on minimum support price (MSP), natural farming, and crop diversification, in July 2022, to make MSP more transparent and effective, and to propose measures to promote zero-budget natural farming and crop diversification to fulfil the changing needs of the country. The committee consists of 29 members with representation from the NITI Aayog, central and state governments, agricultural scientists, agricultural economists, farmer organisations, cooperatives, members of agriculture varsities and award-winning farmers with the former Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal as its head. The government named 26 of them and reserved the other 3 places for people from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM).
In September 2020, the Indian Parliament had passed three farm laws (agriculture acts), namely, The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. However, due to the opposition and protests from the farmers, the farm laws were repealed in December 2021.
The main motive to form this committee is a follow-up after the prime minister announced the repeal of the three farm laws. The farmers’ unions demanded a repeal of the farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP based on recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. But because their demand was not fulfilled and the terms of reference did not mention the legal guarantee on MSP, the farmers rejected the committee and announced that they would not nominate 3 members for the committee.
Terms of Reference of the Committee
According to the Gazette of India, published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on 18.07.2022, the following terms of reference need consideration:
MSP 1. “Suggestions to make available MSP to farmers of the country by making the system more effective and transparent.”
- “Suggestions on practicality to give more autonomy to Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and measures to make it more scientific.”
- “To strengthen the Agricultural Marketing System as per the changing requirements of the country to ensure higher value to the farmers through remunerative prices of their produce by taking advantage of the domestic and export opportunities.”
Natural Farming 1. Suggestions for programmes and schemes for value chain development, protocol validation & research for future needs, and support for area expansion under the Indian Natural Farming System by publicity and through involvement and contribution of farmer organizations.”
- “To suggest strategies for making Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) and other Research & Development institutions as knowledge centres and introduction of natural farming system curriculum and skill development courses in the Universities & other educational Institutions.”
- “To suggest farmer friendly alternative certification system and marketing system for natural farming processes and products.”
- “To suggest methods and means for international coordination to strengthen the value chain development of natural farming.”
- “Chain of laboratories for organic certification of products produced through natural farming.”
Crop Diversification 1. “Mapping of existing cropping patterns of agro-ecological zones of producer and consumer states.”
- “Strategy for diversification policy to change the cropping pattern according to the changing needs of the country.”
- “Arrangement for agricultural diversification & system to ensure remunerative prices for the sale of new crops.”
- “Review and suggestion on micro irrigation scheme.”
Task of the Committee
The committee is set up to study, review, and rectify the mistakes and problems with the current MSP and encourage natural farming and crop diversification. The committee will suggest the practicality of giving more economy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) that fixes the MSP and measures to make it more scientific. The panel will also look at ways to consolidate the Agricultural Marketing System as per the changing requirements of the country. And last but not the least, the committee will suggest ways to promote natural farming, crop diversification, and micro irrigation scheme.
Though this is a good step ahead, the demands of the farmers to provide a legal guarantee were not met. Farmers are also dissatisfied with members of the committee, as some of them are the ones who had supported the three farm laws. Irrespective of the political alignment of the members, if the committee stands up for its terms of reference, the farmers will see a positive change and especially those farmers who are already practising natural farming.
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