On 18th February, the Narendra Modi-led central government put forth a proposal during discussions with farmer unions from Punjab who are currently protesting. The proposal sought to put agreements on the table with the farmers from Punjab aimed at diversifying crop cultivation. As per sources in the government, the proposal would have helped the farmers from Punjab to move away from water-intensive crops such as wheat and paddy.
The offer was for the farmers who would agree to a transition over the next five years to five crops: cotton, maize, tur, urad and Masur. The idea was to help and guide the farmers for the next 5 years enabling a smooth transition to crop diversification, in addition to monetary security during the transition period. The agreement was to be done through government agencies like CCI, NAFED, etc, sources in the government stated.
Moreover, in the proposal, there was no upper limit to the quantum of crops that would have been procured by the government.
However, the proposal was rejected by the farmer unions.
The proposal was brought at a critical juncture considering the depletion of groundwater at an alarming rate. According to the 2017 Dynamic Groundwater Resources Assessment of India report, most of the blocks in Punjab are over-exploited and critically depleted. The report suggested that Of the 138 assessed blocks in Punjab, 109 are over-exploited, two as critical, five as semi-critical, and only 22 as safe. That means only a fraction of areas in the state are currently safe from acute groundwater depletion.
Furthermore, the farmers in Punjab extract water above the recharge levels, and the state urgently needs sustainable agricultural practices. Government sources suggest that the total annual groundwater recharge of the state was assessed as 23.93 bcm compared to the yearly groundwater extraction of 35.78 bcm. It puts a burden of 166% on groundwater extraction.
In Punjab, Maize makes up for 1.5%, Cotton is 3.2%, and pulses merely 0.4% of the crops grown. For small-scale farmers, the shift away from paddy and wheat would have offered ecological benefits and economic sustainability in the long term. In recent years, the increasing cost associated with groundwater extraction has put a lot of financial pressure on the farmers. Diversifying towards less water-intensive crops would have alleviated some of the farmers’ financial pressure.
However, despite the potential benefits, the farmer unions rejected the government proposal. By rejecting the proposal, the farmer unions prioritised short-term gains over the long-term interests of the farmers from Punjab and ecology. Government sources stated that the protesting farmers want to cling to the traditional crops, and this has restricted them from accessing new markets. Furthermore, it will continue to put stress on decreasing the groundwater levels. Ultimately, the cost has to be borne by the farmers, jeopardising the future of agriculture in Punjab.
Opposition to the change in farming patterns came primarily from brokers’ or ‘Arthiyas’ prioritising their short-term self-interest rather than genuine concern for farmers’ welfare. These middlemen earn substantial commissions from wheat and paddy trade at APMC markets. Thus, they prioritise preserving their current profits over embracing sustainable agriculture practices.
The implications of the decision are significant. By resisting the diversification, the farmer unions risked perpetuating a cycle of environmental degradation and economic hardship for Punjab’s farming community. Consistent reliance on water-intensive crops will render certain regions unsustainable for cultivation in the future, which will affect small and marginal farmers.
