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Unlocking the potential
A farmer-friendly budget providing priorities to overcome the challenges of food crisis is the need of the hour. This is very important for unlocking the potential to achieve the target of poverty alleviation. In fact, attaining sustainability in food production is not only the expectation of the citizens but is also a farmer s right.
This strategy of development planning is obviously not new in the financial disciplines, but the demonstration of the same by the head of the government, as we witnessed on May 15, is certainly a new phenomenon. The chief adviser personally joined farmer Mr. Year Muhammad in harvesting the boro paddy in the village of Cheradengi ofDinajpur district.
This has generated a tremen-
dous enthusiasm among the farmers throughout the country, and also among planners and agricultural extension workers, about the commitment and expectation of the government.
Never before had any head of government been so near to the farmers with the message to grow more food and a promise of all-out support from the government
The chief adviser, in the farmer's rally organised at Dinajpur, declared an agriculture-friendly budget in which farmers' rights and interests would be prioritised. Development specialists consider this commitment a new dimension in budgeting and poverty alleviation for unlocking the potential as described in the PRSP.
This farmer-friendly budget must be capable of reviving hope in the lives of marginal, distressed
and landless fanners. It is commonly believed that the budget of the fiscal year 2008-2009 will be revolutionary, getting rid of the traditional calculation of duties and taxes in the budgets as we observed before.
There is acute crisis of food in the world market. The price spiral, conversion of corn to fuel, and supremacy of the syndicates controlling the market have created an alarming environment for the existence of unfortunate farmers living below the poverty line.
To some economists, this is the unfortunate result of free-market economy and the inefficiency of FAO or diplomacy of WTO. President Bush sanctioned a grant of $770 million to overcome the crisis. Madam Condoleezza Rice has blamed the Indian and Chinese for their tendency to eat more rice, thus creating food crisis round the world.
Out of a total area of 3 crore and 74 lakh acres of land, total cultivable land in Bangladesh is about 2 crore 5 lakh acres at present. There are about 8 lakh acres of fallow land. A few lakh acres of land in char areas are neglected and under- utilised. About 50 lakh acres of khas land (farming and non-farming) and water bodies are under the occupation of powerful persons.
A study conducted by Dr. Abul Barkat revealed that 71 % of the total land in Bangladesh is under the occupation of only 22 % of the total population at present.
Agricultural land is gradually getting reduced due to increasing housing, construction of roads and highways, soil erosion, floods and tidal bores. In addition, land grabbers in collaboration with officials of land departments have compelled the marginal farmers to become land-less and migrate to cities for survival as hawkers or rickshaw-pullers.
In this scenario, it is expected that the budget will provide support to farmers with subsidies, make arrangement for adequate for production and distribution of
fertilisers, and encourage the production and use of compost fertilisers and eco-fertilisers on a wide scale.
There could be review of rules for import of notified crops like paddy, wheat, potato, sugarcane and jute seed that might enable the farmers to intensify cultivation.
The budget should create opportunities for diversification of crops, involvement of cooperatives in the marketing of agricultural produces, anti-hoarding measures, and import of agricultural implements and accessories to encourage the farmers and traders involve in the agricultural arena.
There should be package provisions for remissions of loans advanced to farmers by banks, financial institutions and cooperative societies with replenishment by the government.
This year, the government of India provided RS. 60,000 crores in their budget as subsidy to support the farmers from indebtedness. Besides, procurement of paddy, wheat and maize from the farmers directly, in lieu of the present system of buying from millers, could be arranged with revision of food procurement policy.
The Land Reform Commission should ensure the best utilisation of land and transfer of khas land to the real landless farmers. There should also be pragmatic approaches to revisit the Vested Property Act, which is causing so much deprivation and dispute throughout the country.
There should be arrangements for annual exhibition of farm produce in all districts, and rewarding of best farmers and the extension workers for their inno-
vative and splendid performance.
There should be provisions for sanctioning adequate funds for intensive research on tissue culture, application of drip irrigation for production of high value crops, pest control management and popularisation of greenhouse technology.
Above all, agriculture should be incorporated in the education curriculum at secondary level to generate social movement in favour of effective farming.
The intensive use of commu-nity radio, encouragement of publication of magazines, weeklies and periodicals on agriculture, and massive use of documentaries of the agriculture information bureau should be taken as strategies for which the budget can give some indications to support awareness building.
None should remain indifferent about the population growth posing positive threat of more food crisis in future. The present population of 14 20 crores might reach 17.20 crores by 2020, and 28,20 crores by 2051. The rapid increase in urban population, making the urban to rural ratio 50: 50 by 2020, will eventually reduce the number of farmers.
The elected government destined to implement the next six months of this budget shall not deviate from these strategies in spite the political commitments and priorities that they might have in their agenda. We would like to see a realistic farmer-friendly budget for the greater welfare of the nation, and also for unlocking the potential for poverty alleviation.
Dhiraj Kumar Nath is a former adviser to caretaker government