Punjab’s agriculture sector, once hailed as the engine of the State’s economy, has been on a steady decline for the past few decades. To realise sustainable development while alleviating the distress of farming community, an 11-member expert committee consisting of economists, policymakers, technocrats and farmers, set up by the Punjab government, has drafted “Punjab State Agricultural Policy 2023”.
The draft policy has been developed through an inclusive approach based on 1,02,800 suggestions, which includes field visits, discussions with agriculture and allied departments and feedback from the farming community.
Unlike the previous drafts of farm policies (2013 and 2018) of the State, the new policy draft has recommended a cooperative-centric approach for the development of the agriculture sector. It is well known that cooperatives played a major role in the success of the Green Revolution with the provisions of subsidised farm inputs, latest machinery and access of affordable credit, especially to small farmers.
Although the recent performance of some entities of the cooperatives has been sub-optimal due to financial constraints and administrative hurdles, getting this sector back on track would help revitalise Punjab’s agriculture.
The policy has suggested upgrading the existing Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies (PACS) into Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (MPCS). These societies would facilitate timely agriculture input supply, custom hiring of modern farm machinery, marketing, and storage.
Creating jobs
Similarly, establishment of small-scale processing units and micro dairies through these societies have the potential to generate employment and additional farm income. It is believed that MPCS will help small farmers overcome challenges related to fragmented landholdings, high farm costs, market volatility and would be an important institution to promote diversification.
In addition, the policy emphasises on empowering cooperatives by reducing bureaucratic hurdles, improving skillset of cooperative employees and advocates for domain experts to lead cooperative institutions along with ensuring professional and profit-sharing approaches beneficial to farmers. The focus on ensuring credit and skill development training through cooperatives to deprived sections of rural society, especially women, is also an important aspect of the policy.
Crop diversification
The policy committee understood the urgent need of diversification in the light of rapidly depleting groundwater resources, as 15 out of 150 blocks of the State are extracting 300 per cent more water than annual ground water recharge.
Safeguarding groundwater
To address the over-reliance on paddy, which is driven by assured high income due to Minimum Support Price and guaranteed procurement, it proposed a phased approach starting with shifting paddy cultivation away from dark zones — the area with critically depleted groundwater levels.
The policy explores the option of completely banning paddy in one or two blocks by putting these areas under alternate less water consuming crops.
However, the policy recommends that farmers in these blocks should be compensated in such a way that they may get higher returns from alternative crops. In addition, the draft has recommended many efficient irrigation techniques such as micro-irrigation systems, canal water optimisation, ground water recharge initiatives, stricter regulations on tube well installations, promoting grid connected solar-powered pumps for efficient energy and water usage and effective implementation of Pani Bachao, Paisa Kamao (Save Water, Earn Money) schemes.
The new farm policy has made bold recommendations for enhancing income and alleviating distress among the rural community. This includes health insurance coverage, healthcare support, education, and skill development. As agriculture is a risky endeavour, recommendation for developing Punjab’s own crop insurance scheme has been made.
The farmers, farm unions, particularly Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other relevant groups have strongly urged prompt implementation of the policy.
The writer is Chairman, Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commissions
