We honour the farmers who play a critical role in ensuring food security and sustaining the economy. Farmers are our ‘anna dada’, food providers.
Today, the farmers are at the crossroads of challenges. The are faced with market slump, low prices, and lack of support prices by the government.
Indian farmers particularly in Punjab and Haryana have been on the road demanding their right for better farming conditions and better prices.
In 2020-2021 we saw them staging protest against the new farm laws passed by the Parliament in September 2020. They described the laws as anti-farmers and pro-corporates and demanded minimum support prices.The farmers need to be heard.
There is also a need to look into the growing danger of shrinking farming space due to invasion of mining operations and corporate activities. This is a danger tribal communities face. There is also a lack of irrigational facilities due to which many farmers depend on monocrop. More canals and ponds are needed. The legislators and elected representatives need to become vigilant and sensitive to farmers’ needs.
