A higher order of political leadership, a transparent and accountable bureaucracy and activist citizen forums are imperative for effectively addressing hunger and poverty in India, N.R. Narayana Murthy, chairman and chief mentor of Infosys Technologies, said on Sunday.
Addressing a policy forum at the international conference on “Eliminating hunger and poverty” hosted by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), Mr. Murthy said the dark side of India's growth story had been that fruits of progress in terms of GDP growth, rising exports or global recognition had not touched the rural poor dependent on agriculture for a livelihood.
While over 65 per cent of the population was dependent on agriculture, the sector's contribution to GDP had come down from 30 per cent in 1990 to about 18 per cent now. “The message from this is that unless we do something quickly to alleviate the conditions of those who depend on agriculture, we'll not be able to see inclusive growth,” Mr. Murthy said.
As policy options, Mr. Murthy advocated measures to make agriculture more remunerative even while reducing the proportion of people dependent on agriculture for a livelihood. Evolving a form of market-driven pricing mechanism for farm products was the key to creating revenue pathways for small farmers. It was also important to frame policies that exempted the rich and targeted the poor through direct subsidies, he said.
Chairing the session, Dennis Garrity, who chairs the Global Steering Group of the Alternatives to Slash and Burn Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins, said the experience of some poor countries in policy formulation and effective implementation for food security provided much to learn for other countries.
Bui Ba Bong, Minister for Agriculture, Vietnam, outlined his country's transition from a grain-deficit situation to becoming the world's second biggest exporter of rice. Farmers' right of land possession, opening up of the economy, investment in rural infrastructure and technology production and transfer were the important features of Vietnam's “Doi Moi” policy, he said.
Citing small farm sizes, low profit from rice production and climate change consequences as among the challenges in food security, Mr. Bong said raising farm incomes and technology upgradation in agriculture were among the key measures to achieve food security.
Rohan Rajapakse, Executive Director, Sri Lanka Council of Agricultural Research Policy, said the government was engaged in several measures to strengthen agriculture, which was the lifeline for 70 per cent of the nation's rural population, contributed 12 per cent to the GDP and made up for 32 per cent of employment. The government's tax policy, fertilizer subsidy and building market linkages were central to “Mahinda Chintana” scheme that set a 10-year framework for a stronger agricultural sector.
C. R. Rajendran, Principal Director, Asian Development Bank, said the bank had devised an operational plan to address the major issues of availability, accessibility and utilisation in the region. “Productivity, connectivity and resilience are the pillars of the plan,” he said.
M.S. Swaminathan, chairman, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), said public policy, farmers' enthusiasm and technology transfer were fundamental to strengthening agriculture. The national policy on farming had, three years ago, shifted emphasis from production to raising net farm incomes.
Reversing the paddy and poverty paradigm was vital to addressing the challenge of retaining farmers in agriculture and attracting youth to the occupation. “For youth to become interested in agriculture, farming has to be intellectually stimulating and economically rewarding,” he said.
MSSRF scientist V. Selvam was convenor of the session.
