Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::index() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 150
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 97
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::index() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 151
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 97
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
if (Configure::read('debug')) {
trigger_error($message, E_USER_WARNING);
} else {
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {
'status' => (int) 200,
'contentType' => 'text/html',
'headers' => [
'Content-Type' => [
[maximum depth reached]
]
],
'file' => null,
'fileRange' => [],
'cookies' => object(Cake\Http\Cookie\CookieCollection) {},
'cacheDirectives' => [],
'body' => '<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie6" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie7" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8 ]>
<html class="ie ie8" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if (gte IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-->
<html lang='en'>
<!--<![endif]-->
<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<title>
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma </title>
<meta name="description" content="
Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.
I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution,..."/>
<meta name="keywords" content="Agriculture,Environment"/>
<meta name="news_keywords" content="Agriculture,Environment">
<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="ROR" href="/ror.xml"/>
<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="/feeds/"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/bootstrap.min.css?1697864993"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css?v=1.1.2"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style-inner.css?1577045210"/> <link rel="stylesheet" id="Oswald-css"
href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald%3Aregular%2C700&ver=3.8.1" type="text/css"
media="all">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery.modal.min.css?1578285302"/> <script src="/js/jquery-1.10.2.js?1575549704"></script> <script src="/js/jquery-migrate.min.js?1575549704"></script> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" title="Favicon">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery-ui.css?1580720609"/> <script src="/js/jquery-ui.js?1575549704"></script> <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/custom.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery.modal.min.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery-ui.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/li-scroller.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!-- <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous"> -->
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style-inner.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel='dns-prefetch' href="//im4change.org/css/custom.css" crossorigin >
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/bootstrap.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.li-scroller.1.0.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.modal.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.ui.totop.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-1.10.2.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-migrate.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-ui.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/setting.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/tie-scripts.js">
<!--[if IE]>
<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function () {
jQuery(".menu-item").has("ul").children("a").attr("aria-haspopup", "true");
});</script>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if lt IE 9]>
<script src="/js/html5.js"></script>
<script src="/js/selectivizr-min.js"></script>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8]>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/ie8.css"/>
<![endif]-->
<meta property="og:title" content="LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma" />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html" />
<meta property="og:type" content="article" />
<meta property="og:description" content="
Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.
I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution,..." />
<meta property="og:image" content="" />
<meta property="fb:app_id" content="0" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple1.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple2.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple3.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple4.png">
<style>
.gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
top: 38% !important;
height: 50% !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2{
border-color: #035588 !important;
background-color: #035588 !important;
}
.gsib_a{
height: 30px !important;
padding: 2px 8px 1px 6px !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2{
height: 41px !important;
}
input.gsc-input{
background: none !important;
}
@media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
.gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
top: 11% !important;
width: 87% !important;
left: 9% !important;
height: 43% !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2{
padding: 10px 10px !important;
}
.gsc-input-box{
height: 28px !important;
}
/* .gsib_a {
padding: 0px 9px 4px 9px !important;
}*/
}
@media only screen and (min-width: 1200px) and (max-width: 1920px) {
table.gsc-search-box{
width: 15% !important;
float: right !important;
margin-top: -118px !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2 {
padding: 6px !important;
}
}
</style>
<script>
$(function () {
$("#accordion").accordion({
event: "click hoverintent"
});
});
/*
* hoverIntent | Copyright 2011 Brian Cherne
* http://cherne.net/brian/resources/jquery.hoverIntent.html
* modified by the jQuery UI team
*/
$.event.special.hoverintent = {
setup: function () {
$(this).bind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
},
teardown: function () {
$(this).unbind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
},
handler: function (event) {
var currentX, currentY, timeout,
args = arguments,
target = $(event.target),
previousX = event.pageX,
previousY = event.pageY;
function track(event) {
currentX = event.pageX;
currentY = event.pageY;
}
;
function clear() {
target
.unbind("mousemove", track)
.unbind("mouseout", clear);
clearTimeout(timeout);
}
function handler() {
var prop,
orig = event;
if ((Math.abs(previousX - currentX) +
Math.abs(previousY - currentY)) < 7) {
clear();
event = $.Event("hoverintent");
for (prop in orig) {
if (!(prop in event)) {
event[prop] = orig[prop];
}
}
// Prevent accessing the original event since the new event
// is fired asynchronously and the old event is no longer
// usable (#6028)
delete event.originalEvent;
target.trigger(event);
} else {
previousX = currentX;
previousY = currentY;
timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
}
}
timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
target.bind({
mousemove: track,
mouseout: clear
});
}
};
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-472075-3']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function () {
var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/custom.css?v=1.16"/> <script src="/js/jquery.ui.totop.js?1575549704"></script> <script src="/js/setting.js?1575549704"></script> <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
<meta name="theme-color" content="#616163" />
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="im4change">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/logo-192x192.png">
</head>
<body id="top" class="home inner blog">
<div class="background-cover"></div>
<div class="wrapper animated">
<header id="theme-header" class="header_inner" style="position: relative;">
<div class="logo inner_logo" style="left:20px !important">
<a title="Home" href="https://im4change.in/">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" class="logo_image" alt="im4change"/> </a>
</div>
<div class="langhindi" style="color: #000;display:none;"
href="https://im4change.in/">
<a class="more-link" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/hindi/" class="langbutton ">हिन्दी</a>
</div>
<nav class="fade-in animated2" id="main-nav">
<div class="container">
<div class="main-menu">
<ul class="menu" id="menu-main">
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children"
style="left: -40px;"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item mega-menu menu-item-type-taxonomy mega-menu menu-item-object-category mega-menu menu-item-has-children parent-list"
style=" margin-left: -40px;"><a href="#">KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY <span class="sub-indicator"></span>
</a>
<div class="mega-menu-block background_menu" style="padding-top:25px;">
<div class="container">
<div class="mega-menu-content">
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Farm Crisis</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/farmers039-suicides-14.html"
class="left postionrel">Farm Suicides </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/unemployment-30.html"
class="left postionrel">Unemployment </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/rural-distress-70.html"
class="left postionrel">Rural distress </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/migration-34.html"
class="left postionrel">Migration </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/key-facts-72.html"
class="left postionrel">Key Facts </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/debt-trap-15.html"
class="left postionrel">Debt Trap </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Empowerment</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/union-budget-73.html"
class="left postionrel">Union Budget And Other Economic Policies </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/forest-and-tribal-rights-61.html"
class="left postionrel">Forest and Tribal Rights </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-education-60.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Education </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-food-59.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Food </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/displacement-3279.html"
class="left postionrel">Displacement </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-work-mg-nrega-39.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Work (MG-NREGA) </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/gender-3280.html"
class="left postionrel">GENDER </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-information-58.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Information </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/social-audit-48.html"
class="left postionrel">Social Audit </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Hunger / HDI</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/poverty-and-inequality-20499.html"
class="left postionrel">Poverty and inequality </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/malnutrition-41.html"
class="left postionrel">Malnutrition </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/public-health-51.html"
class="left postionrel">Public Health </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/education-50.html"
class="left postionrel">Education </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hunger-overview-40.html"
class="left postionrel">Hunger Overview </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hdi-overview-45.html"
class="left postionrel">HDI Overview </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/pds-ration-food-security-42.html"
class="left postionrel">PDS/ Ration/ Food Security </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/sdgs-113.html"
class="left postionrel">SDGs </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/mid-day-meal-scheme-mdms-53.html"
class="left postionrel">Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Environment</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/time-bomb-ticking-52.html"
class="left postionrel">Time Bomb Ticking </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/water-and-sanitation-55.html"
class="left postionrel">Water and Sanitation </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/impact-on-agriculture-54.html"
class="left postionrel">Impact on Agriculture </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Law & Justice</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/social-justice-20500.html"
class="left postionrel">Social Justice </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/access-to-justice-47.html"
class="left postionrel">Access to Justice </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/human-rights-56.html"
class="left postionrel">Human Rights </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/corruption-35.html"
class="left postionrel">Corruption </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/general-insecurity-46.html"
class="left postionrel">General Insecurity </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/disaster-relief-49.html"
class="left postionrel">Disaster & Relief </a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page "><a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/nceus_reports.php">NCEUS reports</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children parent-list ">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About Us <span
class="sub-indicator"></span></a>
<ul class="sub-menu aboutmenu">
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html">Objectives</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/contactus.php">Contact
Us</a></li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About
Us</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children ">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/fellowships.php" title="Fellowships">Fellowships</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children "><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php">Workshops</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children "><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/research.php">Research</a></li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children "><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/links-64">Partners</a></li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children"
id="menu-item-539"><a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hindi/"
class="langbutton langlinkfont17">हिन्दी</a></li>
</ul>
</div> </div>
<!-- <div style="float: right;">
<script async src="https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=18b4f2e0f11bed3dd"></script>
<div class="gcse-search"></div>
</div> -->
<div class="search-block" style=" margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 7px;">
<form method="get" id="searchform" name="searchform"
action="https://im4change.in/search"
onsubmit="return searchvalidate();">
<button class="search-button" type="submit" value="Search"></button>
<input type="text" id="s" name="qryStr" value=""
onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search...') {this.value = '';}"
onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'Search...';}">
</form>
</div>
</nav>
</header>
<div class="container">
<div id="main-content" class=" main1 container fade-in animated3 sidebar-narrow-left">
<div class="content-wrap">
<div class="content" style="width: 900px;min-height: 500px;">
<section class="cat-box recent-box innerCatRecent">
<h1 class="cat-box-title">Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma</h1>
<a href="JavaScript:void(0);" onclick="return shareArticle(9916);">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/email.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/> </a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025/print"
rel="nofollow">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/icon-print.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>
</a>
</section>
<section class="recent-box innerCatRecent">
<small class="pb-1"><span class="dateIcn">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/published.svg?1582080666" alt="published"/>
Published on</span><span class="text-date"> Sep 12, 2011</span>
<span
class="dateIcn">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/modified.svg?1582080666" alt="modified"/> Modified on </span><span class="text-date"> Sep 12, 2011</span>
</small>
</section>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 10px;">
<div class="innerLineHeight">
<div class="middleContent innerInput latest-news-updates">
<table>
<tr>
<td>
<div>
<br /><div align="justify"><em>Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.<br /></em><br />I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution, a farmer showed me a bag of fertiliser that he brought from the market.<br /><br />“Why are you showing me this bag”, I asked. “Wait”, he said, and began to open the bag. It was only when he crushed the granules with his hands that I realised why he wanted me to see the fertiliser bag. The fertiliser was spurious. The jute bag, neatly packed and branded, contained mud granules.<br /><br />Several years later I was travelling in the villages of Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh to understand the reasons behind the spate of farm suicides that had first rocked the nation. This was in 1997 when 37 farmers committed suicide in this district alone. While everyone blamed the weather gods for inflicting a terrible blow to farmers, I found spurious pesticides to be the reason for the failure of the cotton crop. More than 80 per cent of pesticides sold in Warangal district that year were later found to be fake. <br /><br />Two and a half decades later, agriculture is in ruins. The story of the decline in agriculture across the country is the same. Dying crop fields, and crying farmers. With degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides playing havoc with the environment, agriculture is in terrible distress. With farming becoming a losing proposition, and with the entire equation going wrong, agriculture is witnessing a mass exodus.<br /><br />While academicians, economists and policy makers are ascribing several complex reasons for the decline of agriculture, the dark underbelly has somehow remained unexposed. What has actually eaten into the vitals of agriculture over the years is rampant corruption. It is like the vultures swarming around a dead animal carcase. Believe it or not, the despicable farm scenario is no less gory.<br /><br />Fake and sub-standard inputs – seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and machinery is only one part of the story. With quality control in complete shambles, and with many testing laboratories known to have a fixed price tag for approving samples, farmers are always at the receiving end. No wonder, the post of plant protection officers as well as quality control is one of the most sought after in the State Departments of Agriculture. <br /><br />Massive public outlays under the National Horticulture Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, and the National Food Security Mission are in fact being used as grants. When I see the misuse of these outlays, often going into the pockets of senior farm officials, I have always wondered why the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has refrained from focusing on the flagrant misuse of resources in the name of food security.<br /><br />Cosy relationship<br /><br />Agricultural officials and input suppliers have always maintained a cosy relationship. Even where upright officials have blacklisted erring firms, it isn’t difficult to pull down the shutters and then float a new company. Over the years, I have seen the business growing for those who were once known to be selling sub-standard products. <br /><br />Fly-by-night operators adorn the seed industry, and despite seed laws spelling out stringent punishment for marketing fake seeds, the market is full of spurious seeds. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had recently said that a big seed company had supplied inferior maize hybrid seed, and had refused to account for the losses. Ultimately, Bihar government had to pay for the Rs 60-crore loss.<br /><br />Post harvest, the travails of a farmer take a different turn. In areas where procurement centres and mandis exist (mainly in the Green Revolution belt of Punjab, Haryana, western UP and some parts of Madhya Pradesh), invariably farmers are at the mercy of the arhtiyas and the mandi agents. In rest of the country, the farmer is exploited, fleeced and ends up selling his produce in distress. It will not be wrong to say that it is a nightmare for a farmer to get a fair price for his produce and that too after putting in so much of hard labour.<br /><br />Banks, money lenders and micro-credit agencies have been perpetual suckers. Several studies have pointed to the mismanagement (and corruption) in the distribution of bank credit to be the primary reason for the agrarian crisis. Usurping interest charged by micro-finance institutions, often exceeding 24 per cent and that too to be repaid at weekly intervals, as well as the dependence on private money lenders has been the bane of farming.<br /><br />A recent study by Nabard shows how farmers are being duped by nationalised banks. Farmers are being charged double the interest rate for subsidised credit as announced in the annual budget last year. Against the provision of a maximum of 7 per cent interest, banks have included the contingency expenses and other costs, which in reality means the farmer has to shell out an interest of 14 per cent. <br /><br />If you think scientific research, agricultural development and policy framing is devoid of corruption you are grossly mistaken. Much of what hits the farmer is the result of wrong policies. These policies are frames keeping the interest of service providers before farmers. But then, it is a topic for another day. <br /></div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<br><a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/189016/agriculture-ruins.html" class="re" target="_blank">Deccan Herald, 12 September, 2011, http://www.deccanherald.com/content/189016/agriculture-ruins.html</a><div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 18px;">
<p class="post-tag">Tagged with:
<a class="tagcloud5"
href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
title="Agriculture">
Agriculture </a>
<a class="tagcloud5"
href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
title="Environment">
Environment </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<br><br>
<div class="widget-top">
<h4>Related Articles</h4>
<div class="stripe-line"></div>
</div>
<div class="widget-container">
<ul id="recentcomments">
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/tur-nomics-prices-of-india-s-favourite-dal-heat-up-akshi-chawla.html"
title="Tur-nomics: Prices of India’s Favourite Dal Heat Up - Akshi Chawla">
Tur-nomics: Prices of India’s Favourite Dal Heat Up - Akshi Chawla </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fca-amendment-no-forest-for-the-weary-shreeshan-v-anushka-mohite-mahale-moonis-ijlal.html"
title="FCA Amendment: No Forest For The Weary - Shreeshan V , Anushka Mohite Mahale , Moonis Ijlal">
FCA Amendment: No Forest For The Weary - Shreeshan V , Anushka Mohite Mahale , Moonis Ijlal </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/monsoon-takes-pause-in-august-after-july-deluge-el-nino-may-further-weaken-rains-rural-voice.html"
title="Monsoon takes pause in August after July deluge, El Nino may further weaken rains - Rural Voice">
Monsoon takes pause in August after July deluge, El Nino may further weaken rains - Rural Voice </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/food-inflation-increases-to-11-51-in-july-highest-in-3-5-years.html"
title="Food Inflation Increases to 11.51% in July, Highest in 3.5 Years">
Food Inflation Increases to 11.51% in July, Highest in 3.5 Years </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/is-the-land-really-mine-amrutha-kosuru.html"
title="Is the land really mine? - Amrutha Kosuru">
Is the land really mine? - Amrutha Kosuru </a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="comment-respond" id="respond">
<a name="commentbox"> </a>
<h3 class="comment-reply-title" id="reply-title">Write Comments</h3>
<form method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" role="form" action="/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html"><div style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST"/></div> <form class="comment-form" id="commentform" method="post" action="#commentbox" onSubmit="return validate()"
name="cmtform">
<input type="hidden" name="cmttype" value="articlecmt"/>
<input type="hidden" name="article_id" value="9916"/>
<p class="comment-notes">Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked <span
class="required">*</span></p>
<p class="comment-form-author">
<label for="commenterName">Name</label>
<span class="required">*</span>
<input type="text" aria-required="true" size="30"
value=""
name="commenterName" id="commenterName" required="true">
</p>
<p class="comment-form-email">
<label for="commenterEmail">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span>
<input aria-required="true" size="30" name="commenterEmail" id="commenterEmail" type="email"
value=""
required="true">
</p>
<p class="comment-form-contact">
<label for="commenterPh">Contact No.</label>
<input type="text" size="30"
value=""
name="commenterPh" id="commenterPh">
</p>
<p class="comment-form-comment">
<label for="comment">Comment</label>
<textarea aria-required="true" required="true" rows="8" cols="45" name="comment"
id="comment"></textarea>
</p>
<p class="comment-form-comment">
<label for="comment">Type the characters you see in the image below <span class="required">*</span><br><img
class="captchaImg"
src="https://im4change.in/securimage_show_art.php?tk=1161825796" alt="captcha"/>
</label>
</p>
<input type="text" name="vrcode" required="true"/>
<p class="form-submit" style="width: 200px;">
<input type="submit" value="Post Comment" id="submit" name="submit">
</p></form>
</div>
<style>
.ui-widget-content {
height: auto !important;
}
</style>
<div id="share-modal"></div>
<style>
.middleContent a{
background-color: rgba(108,172,228,.2);
}
.middleContent a:hover{
background-color: #418fde;
border-color: #418fde;
color: #000;
}
</style>
<script>
function shareArticle(article_id) {
var options = {
modal: true,
height: 'auto',
width: 600 + 'px'
};
$('#share-modal').html("");
$('#share-modal').load('https://im4change.in/share_article?article_id=' + article_id).dialog(options).dialog('open');
}
function postShare() {
var param = 'article_id=' + $("#article_id").val();
param = param + '&y_name=' + $("#y_name").val();
param = param + '&y_email=' + $("#y_email").val();
param = param + '&f_name=' + $("#f_name").val();
param = param + '&f_email=' + $("#f_email").val();
param = param + '&y_msg=' + $("#y_msg").val();
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: 'https://im4change.in/post_share_article',
data: param,
success: function (response) {
$('#share-modal').html("Thank You, Your message posted to ");
}
});
return false;
}
</script> </div>
</div>
<!-- Right Side Section Start -->
<!-- MAP Section START -->
<aside class="sidebar indexMarg">
<div class="ad-cell">
<a href="https://im4change.in/statemap.php" title="">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/map_new_version.png?1582080666" alt="India State Map" class="indiamap" width="232" height="252"/> </a>
<div class="rightmapbox">
<div id="sideOne" class="docltitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/state-report/india/36" target="_blank">DOCUMENTS/
REPORTS</a></div>
<div id="sideTwo" class="statetitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/states.php"target="_blank">STATE DATA/
HDRs.</a></div>
</div>
<div class="widget widgePadTop"></div>
</div>
</aside>
<!-- MAP Section END -->
<aside class="sidebar sidePadbottom">
<div class="rightsmlbox1" >
<a href="https://im4change.in/knowledge_gateway" target="_blank" style="color: #035588;
font-size: 17px;">
KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY
</a>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
<a href="https://im4change.in/newsletter" target="_blank">
NEWSLETTER
</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 325px;">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava
</p>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/interview-with-prof-ravi-srivastava-on-current-economic-crisis">
<img width="250" height="200" src="/images/interview_video_home.jpg" alt="Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava"/>
</a>
<!--
<iframe width="250" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MmaTlntk-wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>-->
</p>
<a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery" class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
More videos
</a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<!--div id="sstory" class="rightboxicons"></div--->
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://im4change.in/list-success-stories" target="_blank">Success Stories</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
href="https://im4change.in/interviews" target="_blank">Interviews</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://www.commoncause.in/page.php?id=10" >Donate</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
href="https://im4change.in/marquee"
class="isf_link more-link" title="India Focus?" style="border: 4px solid #fdd922;width: 90%;background-color: #fdd922;text-align: center;color: #000000;font-size:18px" target="_blank">India Focus</a></p> </div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 104px !important;">
<a href="https://im4change.in/quarterly_reports.php" target="_blank">
Quarterly Reports on Effect of Economic Slowdown on Employment in India (2008 - 2015)
</a>
</div>
<!-- <div class="rightsmlbox1">
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im4.im4change" target="_blank">
</a></div> -->
<!-- <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
<h2 class="cat-box-title">Most Visited</h2>
</section> -->
<!-- accordion Starts here -->
<!-- <div id="accordion" class="accordMarg">
</div> -->
<!-- accordion ends here -->
<!-- Widget Tag Cloud Starts here -->
<div id="tag_cloud-2" class="widget widget_tag_cloud">
<section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
<h2 class="cat-box-title">MOST VISITED TAGS</h2>
</section>
<div class="widget-top wiPdTp">
<div class="stripe-line"></div>
</div>
<div class="widget-container">
<div class="tagcloud">
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Agriculture</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Food Security"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Food Security</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Law and Justice"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Law and Justice</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Health"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Health</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Food"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Food</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Corruption"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Corruption</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=farming"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">farming</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Environment</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Information"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Information</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=NREGS"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">NREGS</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Human Rights"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Human Rights</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Governance"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Governance</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PDS"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PDS</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=COVID-19"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">COVID-19</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Land Acquisition"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Land Acquisition</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=mgnrega"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">mgnrega</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farmers"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farmers</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=transparency"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">transparency</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Gender"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Gender</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Poverty"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Poverty</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farm Laws" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farm Laws
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Citizenship Amendment Act" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Citizenship Amendment Act
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=CAA NPR NRIC" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">CAA NPR NRIC
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Job Losses" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Job Losses
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Migrant Workers" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Migrant Workers
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Unemployment" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Unemployment
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PMGKAY" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PMGKAY
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-KISAN" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-KISAN
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-CARES" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-CARES
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=LFPR" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">LFPR
</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Widget Tag Cloud Ends here -->
</aside>
<!-- Right Side Section End -->
</div>
<section class="cat-box cats-review-box footerSec">
<h2 class="cat-box-title vSec CatArcha">Video
Archives</h2>
<h2 class="cat-box-title CatArchaTitle">Archives</h2>
<div class="cat-box-content">
<div class="reviews-cat">
<div class="CatArchaDiv1">
<div class="CatArchaDiv2">
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/moving-upstream-luni-fellowship.html" target="_blank">
Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship </a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/135-million-indians-exited-multidimensional-poverty-as-per-government-figures-is-that-the-same-as-poverty-reduction.html" target="_blank">
135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government... </a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/explainer-why-are-tomato-prices-on-fire.html" target="_blank">
Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire? </a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/nsso-survey-only-39-1-of-all-households-have-drinking-water-within-dwelling-46-7-of-rural-households-use-firewood-for-cooking.html" target="_blank">
NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking... </a>
</li>
<li class="CatArchalLi1">
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57"
class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
More...
</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I51LYnP8BOk/1.jpg"
alt=" Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Short-Video-on-im4change-Hindi-website-Inclusive-Media-for-Change" target="_blank">
Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kNqha-SwfIY/1.jpg"
alt=" "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-1- Scope-of-IDEA-and-AgriStack-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022" target="_blank">
"Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6kIVjlgZItk/1.jpg"
alt=" "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-2-Farmer-Centric-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022" target="_blank">
"Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BeHTu0y7xc/1.jpg"
alt=" "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-3-Future-of-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022" target="_blank">
"Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="divWidth">
<ul class="divWidthMarg">
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Public-Spending-on-Agriculture-in-India-Source-Foundation-for-Agrarian-Studies"
title="Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for Agrarian Studies)" target="_blank">
Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Agrarian-Change-Seminar-Protests-against-the-New-Farm-Laws-in-India-by-Prof-Vikas-Rawal-JNU-Source-Journal-Of-Agrarian-Change"
title="Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws in India' by Prof. Vikas Rawal, JNU (Source: Journal Of Agrarian Change) " target="_blank">
Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Webinar-Ramrao-The-Story-of-India-Farm-Crisis-Source-Azim-Premji-University"
title="Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis (Source: Azim Premji University)" target="_blank">
Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/water-and-agricultural-transformation-in-India"
title="Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship (Source: IGIDR)" target="_blank">
Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...</a>
</li>
<li class="CatArchalLi1">
<a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery"
class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
More...
</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section> </div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<!-- Footer option Starts here -->
<div class="footer-bottom fade-in animated4">
<div class="container">
<div class="social-icons icon_flat">
<p class="SocialMargTop"> Website Developed by <a target="_blank" title="Web Development"
class="wot right"
href="http://www.ravinderkhurana.com/" rel="nofollow">
RAVINDErkHURANA.com</a></p>
</div>
<div class="alignleft">
<a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html"
class="link"
title="Objectives">Objectives</a> | <a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html"
class="link" title="About Us">About Us</a> | <a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php"
class="ucwords">Workshops</a> | <a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/disclaimer/disclaimer-149.html"
title="Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Footer option ends here -->
</div>
<div id="connect">
<a target="_blank"
href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html"
title="Share on Facebook">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/Facebook.png?1582080640" alt="share on Facebook" class="ImgBorder"/>
</a><br/>
<a target="_blank"
href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Im4change&url=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html"
title="Share on Twitter">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/twitter.png?1582080632" alt="Twitter" class="ImgBorder"/> </a>
<br/>
<a href="/feeds" title="RSS Feed" target="_blank">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/rss.png?1582080632" alt="RSS" class="ImgBorder"/>
</a>
<br/>
<a class="feedback-link" id="feedbackFormLink" href="#">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/feedback.png?1582080630" alt="Feedback" class="ImgBorder"/>
</a> <br/>
<a href="javascript:function iprl5(){var d=document,z=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'),b=d.body,l=d.location;try{if(!b)throw(0);d.title='(Saving...) '+d.title;z.setAttribute('src',l.protocol+'//www.instapaper.com/j/WKrH3R7ORD5p?u='+encodeURIComponent(l.href)+'&t='+(new Date().getTime()));b.appendChild(z);}catch(e){alert('Please wait until the page has loaded.');}}iprl5();void(0)"
class="bookmarklet" onclick="return explain_bookmarklet();">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/read-it-later.png?1582080632" alt="Read Later" class="ImgBorder"/> </a>
</div>
<!-- Feedback form Starts here -->
<div id="feedbackForm" class="overlay_form" class="ImgBorder">
<h2>Contact Form</h2>
<div id="contactform1">
<div id="formleft">
<form id="submitform" action="/contactus.php" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="submitform" value="submitform"/>
<input type="hidden" name="salt_key" value="a0e0f2c6a0644a70e57ad2c96829709a"/>
<input type="hidden" name="ref" value="feedback"/>
<fieldset>
<label>Name :</label>
<input type="text" name="name" class="tbox" required/>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<label>Email :</label>
<input type="text" name="email" class="tbox" required/>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<label>Message :</label>
<textarea rows="5" cols="20" name="message" required></textarea>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
Please enter security code
<div class="clear"></div>
<input type="text" name="vrcode" class="tbox"/>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<input type="submit" class="button" value="Submit"/>
<a href="#" id="closefeedbakcformLink">Close</a>
</fieldset>
</form>
</div>
<div class="clearfix"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="donate_popup" class="modal" style="max-width: 800px;">
<table width="100%" border="1">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center">
<b>Support im4change</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="25%" valign="middle">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" alt="" width="100%"/> </td>
<td style="padding-left:10px;padding-top:10px;">
<form action="https://im4change.in/donate" method="get">
<table width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
<tr>
<td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
10
</td>
<td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
100
</td>
<td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
1000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
50
</td>
<td style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
500
</td>
<td style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
<input type="text" name="price" placeholder="?" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="right">
<input type="button" name="Pay" value="Pay"
style="width: 200px;background-color: rgb(205, 35, 36);color: #ffffff;"/>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div><script type='text/javascript'>
/* <![CDATA[ */
var tievar = {'go_to': 'Go to...'};
/* ]]> */
</script>
<script src="/js/tie-scripts.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/bootstrap.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/jquery.modal.min.js?1578284310"></script><script>
$(document).ready(function() {
// tell the autocomplete function to get its data from our php script
$('#s').autocomplete({
source: "/autocomplete"
});
});
</script>
<script src="/vj-main-sw-register.js" async></script>
<script>function init(){var imgDefer=document.getElementsByTagName('img');for(var i=0;i<imgDefer.length;i++){if(imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src')){imgDefer[i].setAttribute('src',imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src'))}}}
window.onload=init;</script>
</body>
</html>'
}
$maxBufferLength = (int) 8192
$file = '/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php'
$line = (int) 853
$message = 'Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853'
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emit() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48
Cake\Http\Server::emit() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 141
[main] - ROOT/webroot/index.php, line 39
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {
'status' => (int) 200,
'contentType' => 'text/html',
'headers' => [
'Content-Type' => [
[maximum depth reached]
]
],
'file' => null,
'fileRange' => [],
'cookies' => object(Cake\Http\Cookie\CookieCollection) {},
'cacheDirectives' => [],
'body' => '<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie6" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie7" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8 ]>
<html class="ie ie8" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if (gte IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-->
<html lang='en'>
<!--<![endif]-->
<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<title>
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma </title>
<meta name="description" content="
Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.
I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution,..."/>
<meta name="keywords" content="Agriculture,Environment"/>
<meta name="news_keywords" content="Agriculture,Environment">
<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="ROR" href="/ror.xml"/>
<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="/feeds/"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/bootstrap.min.css?1697864993"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css?v=1.1.2"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style-inner.css?1577045210"/> <link rel="stylesheet" id="Oswald-css"
href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald%3Aregular%2C700&ver=3.8.1" type="text/css"
media="all">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery.modal.min.css?1578285302"/> <script src="/js/jquery-1.10.2.js?1575549704"></script> <script src="/js/jquery-migrate.min.js?1575549704"></script> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" title="Favicon">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery-ui.css?1580720609"/> <script src="/js/jquery-ui.js?1575549704"></script> <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/custom.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery.modal.min.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery-ui.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/li-scroller.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!-- <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous"> -->
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style-inner.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel='dns-prefetch' href="//im4change.org/css/custom.css" crossorigin >
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/bootstrap.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.li-scroller.1.0.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.modal.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.ui.totop.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-1.10.2.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-migrate.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-ui.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/setting.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/tie-scripts.js">
<!--[if IE]>
<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function () {
jQuery(".menu-item").has("ul").children("a").attr("aria-haspopup", "true");
});</script>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if lt IE 9]>
<script src="/js/html5.js"></script>
<script src="/js/selectivizr-min.js"></script>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8]>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/ie8.css"/>
<![endif]-->
<meta property="og:title" content="LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma" />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html" />
<meta property="og:type" content="article" />
<meta property="og:description" content="
Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.
I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution,..." />
<meta property="og:image" content="" />
<meta property="fb:app_id" content="0" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple1.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple2.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple3.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple4.png">
<style>
.gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
top: 38% !important;
height: 50% !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2{
border-color: #035588 !important;
background-color: #035588 !important;
}
.gsib_a{
height: 30px !important;
padding: 2px 8px 1px 6px !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2{
height: 41px !important;
}
input.gsc-input{
background: none !important;
}
@media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
.gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
top: 11% !important;
width: 87% !important;
left: 9% !important;
height: 43% !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2{
padding: 10px 10px !important;
}
.gsc-input-box{
height: 28px !important;
}
/* .gsib_a {
padding: 0px 9px 4px 9px !important;
}*/
}
@media only screen and (min-width: 1200px) and (max-width: 1920px) {
table.gsc-search-box{
width: 15% !important;
float: right !important;
margin-top: -118px !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2 {
padding: 6px !important;
}
}
</style>
<script>
$(function () {
$("#accordion").accordion({
event: "click hoverintent"
});
});
/*
* hoverIntent | Copyright 2011 Brian Cherne
* http://cherne.net/brian/resources/jquery.hoverIntent.html
* modified by the jQuery UI team
*/
$.event.special.hoverintent = {
setup: function () {
$(this).bind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
},
teardown: function () {
$(this).unbind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
},
handler: function (event) {
var currentX, currentY, timeout,
args = arguments,
target = $(event.target),
previousX = event.pageX,
previousY = event.pageY;
function track(event) {
currentX = event.pageX;
currentY = event.pageY;
}
;
function clear() {
target
.unbind("mousemove", track)
.unbind("mouseout", clear);
clearTimeout(timeout);
}
function handler() {
var prop,
orig = event;
if ((Math.abs(previousX - currentX) +
Math.abs(previousY - currentY)) < 7) {
clear();
event = $.Event("hoverintent");
for (prop in orig) {
if (!(prop in event)) {
event[prop] = orig[prop];
}
}
// Prevent accessing the original event since the new event
// is fired asynchronously and the old event is no longer
// usable (#6028)
delete event.originalEvent;
target.trigger(event);
} else {
previousX = currentX;
previousY = currentY;
timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
}
}
timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
target.bind({
mousemove: track,
mouseout: clear
});
}
};
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-472075-3']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function () {
var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/custom.css?v=1.16"/> <script src="/js/jquery.ui.totop.js?1575549704"></script> <script src="/js/setting.js?1575549704"></script> <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
<meta name="theme-color" content="#616163" />
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="im4change">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/logo-192x192.png">
</head>
<body id="top" class="home inner blog">
<div class="background-cover"></div>
<div class="wrapper animated">
<header id="theme-header" class="header_inner" style="position: relative;">
<div class="logo inner_logo" style="left:20px !important">
<a title="Home" href="https://im4change.in/">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" class="logo_image" alt="im4change"/> </a>
</div>
<div class="langhindi" style="color: #000;display:none;"
href="https://im4change.in/">
<a class="more-link" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/hindi/" class="langbutton ">हिन्दी</a>
</div>
<nav class="fade-in animated2" id="main-nav">
<div class="container">
<div class="main-menu">
<ul class="menu" id="menu-main">
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children"
style="left: -40px;"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item mega-menu menu-item-type-taxonomy mega-menu menu-item-object-category mega-menu menu-item-has-children parent-list"
style=" margin-left: -40px;"><a href="#">KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY <span class="sub-indicator"></span>
</a>
<div class="mega-menu-block background_menu" style="padding-top:25px;">
<div class="container">
<div class="mega-menu-content">
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Farm Crisis</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/farmers039-suicides-14.html"
class="left postionrel">Farm Suicides </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/unemployment-30.html"
class="left postionrel">Unemployment </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/rural-distress-70.html"
class="left postionrel">Rural distress </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/migration-34.html"
class="left postionrel">Migration </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/key-facts-72.html"
class="left postionrel">Key Facts </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/debt-trap-15.html"
class="left postionrel">Debt Trap </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Empowerment</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/union-budget-73.html"
class="left postionrel">Union Budget And Other Economic Policies </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/forest-and-tribal-rights-61.html"
class="left postionrel">Forest and Tribal Rights </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-education-60.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Education </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-food-59.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Food </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/displacement-3279.html"
class="left postionrel">Displacement </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-work-mg-nrega-39.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Work (MG-NREGA) </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/gender-3280.html"
class="left postionrel">GENDER </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-information-58.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Information </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/social-audit-48.html"
class="left postionrel">Social Audit </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Hunger / HDI</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/poverty-and-inequality-20499.html"
class="left postionrel">Poverty and inequality </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/malnutrition-41.html"
class="left postionrel">Malnutrition </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/public-health-51.html"
class="left postionrel">Public Health </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/education-50.html"
class="left postionrel">Education </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hunger-overview-40.html"
class="left postionrel">Hunger Overview </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hdi-overview-45.html"
class="left postionrel">HDI Overview </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/pds-ration-food-security-42.html"
class="left postionrel">PDS/ Ration/ Food Security </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/sdgs-113.html"
class="left postionrel">SDGs </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/mid-day-meal-scheme-mdms-53.html"
class="left postionrel">Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Environment</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/time-bomb-ticking-52.html"
class="left postionrel">Time Bomb Ticking </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/water-and-sanitation-55.html"
class="left postionrel">Water and Sanitation </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/impact-on-agriculture-54.html"
class="left postionrel">Impact on Agriculture </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Law & Justice</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/social-justice-20500.html"
class="left postionrel">Social Justice </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/access-to-justice-47.html"
class="left postionrel">Access to Justice </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/human-rights-56.html"
class="left postionrel">Human Rights </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/corruption-35.html"
class="left postionrel">Corruption </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/general-insecurity-46.html"
class="left postionrel">General Insecurity </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/disaster-relief-49.html"
class="left postionrel">Disaster & Relief </a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page "><a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/nceus_reports.php">NCEUS reports</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children parent-list ">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About Us <span
class="sub-indicator"></span></a>
<ul class="sub-menu aboutmenu">
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html">Objectives</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/contactus.php">Contact
Us</a></li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About
Us</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children ">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/fellowships.php" title="Fellowships">Fellowships</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children "><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php">Workshops</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children "><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/research.php">Research</a></li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children "><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/links-64">Partners</a></li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children"
id="menu-item-539"><a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hindi/"
class="langbutton langlinkfont17">हिन्दी</a></li>
</ul>
</div> </div>
<!-- <div style="float: right;">
<script async src="https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=18b4f2e0f11bed3dd"></script>
<div class="gcse-search"></div>
</div> -->
<div class="search-block" style=" margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 7px;">
<form method="get" id="searchform" name="searchform"
action="https://im4change.in/search"
onsubmit="return searchvalidate();">
<button class="search-button" type="submit" value="Search"></button>
<input type="text" id="s" name="qryStr" value=""
onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search...') {this.value = '';}"
onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'Search...';}">
</form>
</div>
</nav>
</header>
<div class="container">
<div id="main-content" class=" main1 container fade-in animated3 sidebar-narrow-left">
<div class="content-wrap">
<div class="content" style="width: 900px;min-height: 500px;">
<section class="cat-box recent-box innerCatRecent">
<h1 class="cat-box-title">Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma</h1>
<a href="JavaScript:void(0);" onclick="return shareArticle(9916);">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/email.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/> </a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025/print"
rel="nofollow">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/icon-print.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>
</a>
</section>
<section class="recent-box innerCatRecent">
<small class="pb-1"><span class="dateIcn">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/published.svg?1582080666" alt="published"/>
Published on</span><span class="text-date"> Sep 12, 2011</span>
<span
class="dateIcn">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/modified.svg?1582080666" alt="modified"/> Modified on </span><span class="text-date"> Sep 12, 2011</span>
</small>
</section>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 10px;">
<div class="innerLineHeight">
<div class="middleContent innerInput latest-news-updates">
<table>
<tr>
<td>
<div>
<br /><div align="justify"><em>Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.<br /></em><br />I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution, a farmer showed me a bag of fertiliser that he brought from the market.<br /><br />“Why are you showing me this bag”, I asked. “Wait”, he said, and began to open the bag. It was only when he crushed the granules with his hands that I realised why he wanted me to see the fertiliser bag. The fertiliser was spurious. The jute bag, neatly packed and branded, contained mud granules.<br /><br />Several years later I was travelling in the villages of Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh to understand the reasons behind the spate of farm suicides that had first rocked the nation. This was in 1997 when 37 farmers committed suicide in this district alone. While everyone blamed the weather gods for inflicting a terrible blow to farmers, I found spurious pesticides to be the reason for the failure of the cotton crop. More than 80 per cent of pesticides sold in Warangal district that year were later found to be fake. <br /><br />Two and a half decades later, agriculture is in ruins. The story of the decline in agriculture across the country is the same. Dying crop fields, and crying farmers. With degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides playing havoc with the environment, agriculture is in terrible distress. With farming becoming a losing proposition, and with the entire equation going wrong, agriculture is witnessing a mass exodus.<br /><br />While academicians, economists and policy makers are ascribing several complex reasons for the decline of agriculture, the dark underbelly has somehow remained unexposed. What has actually eaten into the vitals of agriculture over the years is rampant corruption. It is like the vultures swarming around a dead animal carcase. Believe it or not, the despicable farm scenario is no less gory.<br /><br />Fake and sub-standard inputs – seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and machinery is only one part of the story. With quality control in complete shambles, and with many testing laboratories known to have a fixed price tag for approving samples, farmers are always at the receiving end. No wonder, the post of plant protection officers as well as quality control is one of the most sought after in the State Departments of Agriculture. <br /><br />Massive public outlays under the National Horticulture Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, and the National Food Security Mission are in fact being used as grants. When I see the misuse of these outlays, often going into the pockets of senior farm officials, I have always wondered why the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has refrained from focusing on the flagrant misuse of resources in the name of food security.<br /><br />Cosy relationship<br /><br />Agricultural officials and input suppliers have always maintained a cosy relationship. Even where upright officials have blacklisted erring firms, it isn’t difficult to pull down the shutters and then float a new company. Over the years, I have seen the business growing for those who were once known to be selling sub-standard products. <br /><br />Fly-by-night operators adorn the seed industry, and despite seed laws spelling out stringent punishment for marketing fake seeds, the market is full of spurious seeds. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had recently said that a big seed company had supplied inferior maize hybrid seed, and had refused to account for the losses. Ultimately, Bihar government had to pay for the Rs 60-crore loss.<br /><br />Post harvest, the travails of a farmer take a different turn. In areas where procurement centres and mandis exist (mainly in the Green Revolution belt of Punjab, Haryana, western UP and some parts of Madhya Pradesh), invariably farmers are at the mercy of the arhtiyas and the mandi agents. In rest of the country, the farmer is exploited, fleeced and ends up selling his produce in distress. It will not be wrong to say that it is a nightmare for a farmer to get a fair price for his produce and that too after putting in so much of hard labour.<br /><br />Banks, money lenders and micro-credit agencies have been perpetual suckers. Several studies have pointed to the mismanagement (and corruption) in the distribution of bank credit to be the primary reason for the agrarian crisis. Usurping interest charged by micro-finance institutions, often exceeding 24 per cent and that too to be repaid at weekly intervals, as well as the dependence on private money lenders has been the bane of farming.<br /><br />A recent study by Nabard shows how farmers are being duped by nationalised banks. Farmers are being charged double the interest rate for subsidised credit as announced in the annual budget last year. Against the provision of a maximum of 7 per cent interest, banks have included the contingency expenses and other costs, which in reality means the farmer has to shell out an interest of 14 per cent. <br /><br />If you think scientific research, agricultural development and policy framing is devoid of corruption you are grossly mistaken. Much of what hits the farmer is the result of wrong policies. These policies are frames keeping the interest of service providers before farmers. But then, it is a topic for another day. <br /></div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<br><a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/189016/agriculture-ruins.html" class="re" target="_blank">Deccan Herald, 12 September, 2011, http://www.deccanherald.com/content/189016/agriculture-ruins.html</a><div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 18px;">
<p class="post-tag">Tagged with:
<a class="tagcloud5"
href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
title="Agriculture">
Agriculture </a>
<a class="tagcloud5"
href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
title="Environment">
Environment </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<br><br>
<div class="widget-top">
<h4>Related Articles</h4>
<div class="stripe-line"></div>
</div>
<div class="widget-container">
<ul id="recentcomments">
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/tur-nomics-prices-of-india-s-favourite-dal-heat-up-akshi-chawla.html"
title="Tur-nomics: Prices of India’s Favourite Dal Heat Up - Akshi Chawla">
Tur-nomics: Prices of India’s Favourite Dal Heat Up - Akshi Chawla </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fca-amendment-no-forest-for-the-weary-shreeshan-v-anushka-mohite-mahale-moonis-ijlal.html"
title="FCA Amendment: No Forest For The Weary - Shreeshan V , Anushka Mohite Mahale , Moonis Ijlal">
FCA Amendment: No Forest For The Weary - Shreeshan V , Anushka Mohite Mahale , Moonis Ijlal </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/monsoon-takes-pause-in-august-after-july-deluge-el-nino-may-further-weaken-rains-rural-voice.html"
title="Monsoon takes pause in August after July deluge, El Nino may further weaken rains - Rural Voice">
Monsoon takes pause in August after July deluge, El Nino may further weaken rains - Rural Voice </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/food-inflation-increases-to-11-51-in-july-highest-in-3-5-years.html"
title="Food Inflation Increases to 11.51% in July, Highest in 3.5 Years">
Food Inflation Increases to 11.51% in July, Highest in 3.5 Years </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/is-the-land-really-mine-amrutha-kosuru.html"
title="Is the land really mine? - Amrutha Kosuru">
Is the land really mine? - Amrutha Kosuru </a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="comment-respond" id="respond">
<a name="commentbox"> </a>
<h3 class="comment-reply-title" id="reply-title">Write Comments</h3>
<form method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" role="form" action="/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html"><div style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST"/></div> <form class="comment-form" id="commentform" method="post" action="#commentbox" onSubmit="return validate()"
name="cmtform">
<input type="hidden" name="cmttype" value="articlecmt"/>
<input type="hidden" name="article_id" value="9916"/>
<p class="comment-notes">Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked <span
class="required">*</span></p>
<p class="comment-form-author">
<label for="commenterName">Name</label>
<span class="required">*</span>
<input type="text" aria-required="true" size="30"
value=""
name="commenterName" id="commenterName" required="true">
</p>
<p class="comment-form-email">
<label for="commenterEmail">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span>
<input aria-required="true" size="30" name="commenterEmail" id="commenterEmail" type="email"
value=""
required="true">
</p>
<p class="comment-form-contact">
<label for="commenterPh">Contact No.</label>
<input type="text" size="30"
value=""
name="commenterPh" id="commenterPh">
</p>
<p class="comment-form-comment">
<label for="comment">Comment</label>
<textarea aria-required="true" required="true" rows="8" cols="45" name="comment"
id="comment"></textarea>
</p>
<p class="comment-form-comment">
<label for="comment">Type the characters you see in the image below <span class="required">*</span><br><img
class="captchaImg"
src="https://im4change.in/securimage_show_art.php?tk=1161825796" alt="captcha"/>
</label>
</p>
<input type="text" name="vrcode" required="true"/>
<p class="form-submit" style="width: 200px;">
<input type="submit" value="Post Comment" id="submit" name="submit">
</p></form>
</div>
<style>
.ui-widget-content {
height: auto !important;
}
</style>
<div id="share-modal"></div>
<style>
.middleContent a{
background-color: rgba(108,172,228,.2);
}
.middleContent a:hover{
background-color: #418fde;
border-color: #418fde;
color: #000;
}
</style>
<script>
function shareArticle(article_id) {
var options = {
modal: true,
height: 'auto',
width: 600 + 'px'
};
$('#share-modal').html("");
$('#share-modal').load('https://im4change.in/share_article?article_id=' + article_id).dialog(options).dialog('open');
}
function postShare() {
var param = 'article_id=' + $("#article_id").val();
param = param + '&y_name=' + $("#y_name").val();
param = param + '&y_email=' + $("#y_email").val();
param = param + '&f_name=' + $("#f_name").val();
param = param + '&f_email=' + $("#f_email").val();
param = param + '&y_msg=' + $("#y_msg").val();
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: 'https://im4change.in/post_share_article',
data: param,
success: function (response) {
$('#share-modal').html("Thank You, Your message posted to ");
}
});
return false;
}
</script> </div>
</div>
<!-- Right Side Section Start -->
<!-- MAP Section START -->
<aside class="sidebar indexMarg">
<div class="ad-cell">
<a href="https://im4change.in/statemap.php" title="">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/map_new_version.png?1582080666" alt="India State Map" class="indiamap" width="232" height="252"/> </a>
<div class="rightmapbox">
<div id="sideOne" class="docltitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/state-report/india/36" target="_blank">DOCUMENTS/
REPORTS</a></div>
<div id="sideTwo" class="statetitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/states.php"target="_blank">STATE DATA/
HDRs.</a></div>
</div>
<div class="widget widgePadTop"></div>
</div>
</aside>
<!-- MAP Section END -->
<aside class="sidebar sidePadbottom">
<div class="rightsmlbox1" >
<a href="https://im4change.in/knowledge_gateway" target="_blank" style="color: #035588;
font-size: 17px;">
KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY
</a>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
<a href="https://im4change.in/newsletter" target="_blank">
NEWSLETTER
</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 325px;">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava
</p>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/interview-with-prof-ravi-srivastava-on-current-economic-crisis">
<img width="250" height="200" src="/images/interview_video_home.jpg" alt="Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava"/>
</a>
<!--
<iframe width="250" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MmaTlntk-wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>-->
</p>
<a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery" class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
More videos
</a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<!--div id="sstory" class="rightboxicons"></div--->
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://im4change.in/list-success-stories" target="_blank">Success Stories</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
href="https://im4change.in/interviews" target="_blank">Interviews</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://www.commoncause.in/page.php?id=10" >Donate</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
href="https://im4change.in/marquee"
class="isf_link more-link" title="India Focus?" style="border: 4px solid #fdd922;width: 90%;background-color: #fdd922;text-align: center;color: #000000;font-size:18px" target="_blank">India Focus</a></p> </div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 104px !important;">
<a href="https://im4change.in/quarterly_reports.php" target="_blank">
Quarterly Reports on Effect of Economic Slowdown on Employment in India (2008 - 2015)
</a>
</div>
<!-- <div class="rightsmlbox1">
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im4.im4change" target="_blank">
</a></div> -->
<!-- <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
<h2 class="cat-box-title">Most Visited</h2>
</section> -->
<!-- accordion Starts here -->
<!-- <div id="accordion" class="accordMarg">
</div> -->
<!-- accordion ends here -->
<!-- Widget Tag Cloud Starts here -->
<div id="tag_cloud-2" class="widget widget_tag_cloud">
<section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
<h2 class="cat-box-title">MOST VISITED TAGS</h2>
</section>
<div class="widget-top wiPdTp">
<div class="stripe-line"></div>
</div>
<div class="widget-container">
<div class="tagcloud">
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Agriculture</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Food Security"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Food Security</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Law and Justice"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Law and Justice</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Health"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Health</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Food"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Food</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Corruption"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Corruption</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=farming"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">farming</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Environment</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Information"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Information</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=NREGS"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">NREGS</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Human Rights"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Human Rights</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Governance"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Governance</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PDS"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PDS</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=COVID-19"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">COVID-19</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Land Acquisition"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Land Acquisition</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=mgnrega"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">mgnrega</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farmers"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farmers</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=transparency"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">transparency</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Gender"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Gender</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Poverty"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Poverty</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farm Laws" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farm Laws
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Citizenship Amendment Act" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Citizenship Amendment Act
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=CAA NPR NRIC" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">CAA NPR NRIC
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Job Losses" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Job Losses
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Migrant Workers" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Migrant Workers
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Unemployment" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Unemployment
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PMGKAY" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PMGKAY
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-KISAN" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-KISAN
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-CARES" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-CARES
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=LFPR" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">LFPR
</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Widget Tag Cloud Ends here -->
</aside>
<!-- Right Side Section End -->
</div>
<section class="cat-box cats-review-box footerSec">
<h2 class="cat-box-title vSec CatArcha">Video
Archives</h2>
<h2 class="cat-box-title CatArchaTitle">Archives</h2>
<div class="cat-box-content">
<div class="reviews-cat">
<div class="CatArchaDiv1">
<div class="CatArchaDiv2">
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/moving-upstream-luni-fellowship.html" target="_blank">
Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship </a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/135-million-indians-exited-multidimensional-poverty-as-per-government-figures-is-that-the-same-as-poverty-reduction.html" target="_blank">
135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government... </a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/explainer-why-are-tomato-prices-on-fire.html" target="_blank">
Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire? </a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/nsso-survey-only-39-1-of-all-households-have-drinking-water-within-dwelling-46-7-of-rural-households-use-firewood-for-cooking.html" target="_blank">
NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking... </a>
</li>
<li class="CatArchalLi1">
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57"
class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
More...
</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I51LYnP8BOk/1.jpg"
alt=" Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Short-Video-on-im4change-Hindi-website-Inclusive-Media-for-Change" target="_blank">
Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kNqha-SwfIY/1.jpg"
alt=" "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-1- Scope-of-IDEA-and-AgriStack-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022" target="_blank">
"Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6kIVjlgZItk/1.jpg"
alt=" "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-2-Farmer-Centric-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022" target="_blank">
"Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BeHTu0y7xc/1.jpg"
alt=" "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-3-Future-of-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022" target="_blank">
"Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="divWidth">
<ul class="divWidthMarg">
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Public-Spending-on-Agriculture-in-India-Source-Foundation-for-Agrarian-Studies"
title="Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for Agrarian Studies)" target="_blank">
Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Agrarian-Change-Seminar-Protests-against-the-New-Farm-Laws-in-India-by-Prof-Vikas-Rawal-JNU-Source-Journal-Of-Agrarian-Change"
title="Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws in India' by Prof. Vikas Rawal, JNU (Source: Journal Of Agrarian Change) " target="_blank">
Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Webinar-Ramrao-The-Story-of-India-Farm-Crisis-Source-Azim-Premji-University"
title="Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis (Source: Azim Premji University)" target="_blank">
Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/water-and-agricultural-transformation-in-India"
title="Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship (Source: IGIDR)" target="_blank">
Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...</a>
</li>
<li class="CatArchalLi1">
<a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery"
class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
More...
</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section> </div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<!-- Footer option Starts here -->
<div class="footer-bottom fade-in animated4">
<div class="container">
<div class="social-icons icon_flat">
<p class="SocialMargTop"> Website Developed by <a target="_blank" title="Web Development"
class="wot right"
href="http://www.ravinderkhurana.com/" rel="nofollow">
RAVINDErkHURANA.com</a></p>
</div>
<div class="alignleft">
<a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html"
class="link"
title="Objectives">Objectives</a> | <a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html"
class="link" title="About Us">About Us</a> | <a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php"
class="ucwords">Workshops</a> | <a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/disclaimer/disclaimer-149.html"
title="Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Footer option ends here -->
</div>
<div id="connect">
<a target="_blank"
href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html"
title="Share on Facebook">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/Facebook.png?1582080640" alt="share on Facebook" class="ImgBorder"/>
</a><br/>
<a target="_blank"
href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Im4change&url=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html"
title="Share on Twitter">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/twitter.png?1582080632" alt="Twitter" class="ImgBorder"/> </a>
<br/>
<a href="/feeds" title="RSS Feed" target="_blank">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/rss.png?1582080632" alt="RSS" class="ImgBorder"/>
</a>
<br/>
<a class="feedback-link" id="feedbackFormLink" href="#">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/feedback.png?1582080630" alt="Feedback" class="ImgBorder"/>
</a> <br/>
<a href="javascript:function iprl5(){var d=document,z=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'),b=d.body,l=d.location;try{if(!b)throw(0);d.title='(Saving...) '+d.title;z.setAttribute('src',l.protocol+'//www.instapaper.com/j/WKrH3R7ORD5p?u='+encodeURIComponent(l.href)+'&t='+(new Date().getTime()));b.appendChild(z);}catch(e){alert('Please wait until the page has loaded.');}}iprl5();void(0)"
class="bookmarklet" onclick="return explain_bookmarklet();">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/read-it-later.png?1582080632" alt="Read Later" class="ImgBorder"/> </a>
</div>
<!-- Feedback form Starts here -->
<div id="feedbackForm" class="overlay_form" class="ImgBorder">
<h2>Contact Form</h2>
<div id="contactform1">
<div id="formleft">
<form id="submitform" action="/contactus.php" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="submitform" value="submitform"/>
<input type="hidden" name="salt_key" value="a0e0f2c6a0644a70e57ad2c96829709a"/>
<input type="hidden" name="ref" value="feedback"/>
<fieldset>
<label>Name :</label>
<input type="text" name="name" class="tbox" required/>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<label>Email :</label>
<input type="text" name="email" class="tbox" required/>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<label>Message :</label>
<textarea rows="5" cols="20" name="message" required></textarea>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
Please enter security code
<div class="clear"></div>
<input type="text" name="vrcode" class="tbox"/>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<input type="submit" class="button" value="Submit"/>
<a href="#" id="closefeedbakcformLink">Close</a>
</fieldset>
</form>
</div>
<div class="clearfix"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="donate_popup" class="modal" style="max-width: 800px;">
<table width="100%" border="1">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center">
<b>Support im4change</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="25%" valign="middle">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" alt="" width="100%"/> </td>
<td style="padding-left:10px;padding-top:10px;">
<form action="https://im4change.in/donate" method="get">
<table width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
<tr>
<td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
10
</td>
<td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
100
</td>
<td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
1000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
50
</td>
<td style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
500
</td>
<td style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
<input type="text" name="price" placeholder="?" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="right">
<input type="button" name="Pay" value="Pay"
style="width: 200px;background-color: rgb(205, 35, 36);color: #ffffff;"/>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div><script type='text/javascript'>
/* <![CDATA[ */
var tievar = {'go_to': 'Go to...'};
/* ]]> */
</script>
<script src="/js/tie-scripts.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/bootstrap.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/jquery.modal.min.js?1578284310"></script><script>
$(document).ready(function() {
// tell the autocomplete function to get its data from our php script
$('#s').autocomplete({
source: "/autocomplete"
});
});
</script>
<script src="/vj-main-sw-register.js" async></script>
<script>function init(){var imgDefer=document.getElementsByTagName('img');for(var i=0;i<imgDefer.length;i++){if(imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src')){imgDefer[i].setAttribute('src',imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src'))}}}
window.onload=init;</script>
</body>
</html>'
}
$reasonPhrase = 'OK'
header - [internal], line ??
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emitStatusLine() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emit() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 54
Cake\Http\Server::emit() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 141
[main] - ROOT/webroot/index.php, line 39
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {
'status' => (int) 200,
'contentType' => 'text/html',
'headers' => [
'Content-Type' => [
[maximum depth reached]
]
],
'file' => null,
'fileRange' => [],
'cookies' => object(Cake\Http\Cookie\CookieCollection) {},
'cacheDirectives' => [],
'body' => '<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if lt IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie6" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 7 ]>
<html class="ie ie7" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8 ]>
<html class="ie ie8" lang='en'> <![endif]-->
<!--[if (gte IE 9)|!(IE)]><!-->
<html lang='en'>
<!--<![endif]-->
<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<title>
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma </title>
<meta name="description" content="
Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.
I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution,..."/>
<meta name="keywords" content="Agriculture,Environment"/>
<meta name="news_keywords" content="Agriculture,Environment">
<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="ROR" href="/ror.xml"/>
<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="/feeds/"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/bootstrap.min.css?1697864993"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style.css?v=1.1.2"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/style-inner.css?1577045210"/> <link rel="stylesheet" id="Oswald-css"
href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Oswald%3Aregular%2C700&ver=3.8.1" type="text/css"
media="all">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery.modal.min.css?1578285302"/> <script src="/js/jquery-1.10.2.js?1575549704"></script> <script src="/js/jquery-migrate.min.js?1575549704"></script> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" title="Favicon">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/jquery-ui.css?1580720609"/> <script src="/js/jquery-ui.js?1575549704"></script> <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/custom.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery.modal.min.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/jquery-ui.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/li-scroller.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!-- <link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous"> -->
<link rel="preload" as="style" href="https://www.im4change.org/css/style-inner.css" onload="this.rel='stylesheet'" media="all" crossorigin="anonymous">
<link rel='dns-prefetch' href="//im4change.org/css/custom.css" crossorigin >
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/bootstrap.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.li-scroller.1.0.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.modal.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery.ui.totop.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-1.10.2.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-migrate.min.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/jquery-ui.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/setting.js">
<link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.im4change.org/js/tie-scripts.js">
<!--[if IE]>
<script type="text/javascript">jQuery(document).ready(function () {
jQuery(".menu-item").has("ul").children("a").attr("aria-haspopup", "true");
});</script>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if lt IE 9]>
<script src="/js/html5.js"></script>
<script src="/js/selectivizr-min.js"></script>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8]>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/ie8.css"/>
<![endif]-->
<meta property="og:title" content="LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma" />
<meta property="og:url" content="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html" />
<meta property="og:type" content="article" />
<meta property="og:description" content="
Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.
I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution,..." />
<meta property="og:image" content="" />
<meta property="fb:app_id" content="0" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple1.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple2.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple3.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://im4change.in/images/apple4.png">
<style>
.gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
top: 38% !important;
height: 50% !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2{
border-color: #035588 !important;
background-color: #035588 !important;
}
.gsib_a{
height: 30px !important;
padding: 2px 8px 1px 6px !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2{
height: 41px !important;
}
input.gsc-input{
background: none !important;
}
@media only screen and (max-width: 600px) {
.gsc-results-wrapper-overlay{
top: 11% !important;
width: 87% !important;
left: 9% !important;
height: 43% !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2{
padding: 10px 10px !important;
}
.gsc-input-box{
height: 28px !important;
}
/* .gsib_a {
padding: 0px 9px 4px 9px !important;
}*/
}
@media only screen and (min-width: 1200px) and (max-width: 1920px) {
table.gsc-search-box{
width: 15% !important;
float: right !important;
margin-top: -118px !important;
}
.gsc-search-button-v2 {
padding: 6px !important;
}
}
</style>
<script>
$(function () {
$("#accordion").accordion({
event: "click hoverintent"
});
});
/*
* hoverIntent | Copyright 2011 Brian Cherne
* http://cherne.net/brian/resources/jquery.hoverIntent.html
* modified by the jQuery UI team
*/
$.event.special.hoverintent = {
setup: function () {
$(this).bind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
},
teardown: function () {
$(this).unbind("mouseover", jQuery.event.special.hoverintent.handler);
},
handler: function (event) {
var currentX, currentY, timeout,
args = arguments,
target = $(event.target),
previousX = event.pageX,
previousY = event.pageY;
function track(event) {
currentX = event.pageX;
currentY = event.pageY;
}
;
function clear() {
target
.unbind("mousemove", track)
.unbind("mouseout", clear);
clearTimeout(timeout);
}
function handler() {
var prop,
orig = event;
if ((Math.abs(previousX - currentX) +
Math.abs(previousY - currentY)) < 7) {
clear();
event = $.Event("hoverintent");
for (prop in orig) {
if (!(prop in event)) {
event[prop] = orig[prop];
}
}
// Prevent accessing the original event since the new event
// is fired asynchronously and the old event is no longer
// usable (#6028)
delete event.originalEvent;
target.trigger(event);
} else {
previousX = currentX;
previousY = currentY;
timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
}
}
timeout = setTimeout(handler, 100);
target.bind({
mousemove: track,
mouseout: clear
});
}
};
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-472075-3']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function () {
var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/custom.css?v=1.16"/> <script src="/js/jquery.ui.totop.js?1575549704"></script> <script src="/js/setting.js?1575549704"></script> <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">
<meta name="theme-color" content="#616163" />
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="black">
<meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="im4change">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/icons/logo-192x192.png">
</head>
<body id="top" class="home inner blog">
<div class="background-cover"></div>
<div class="wrapper animated">
<header id="theme-header" class="header_inner" style="position: relative;">
<div class="logo inner_logo" style="left:20px !important">
<a title="Home" href="https://im4change.in/">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" class="logo_image" alt="im4change"/> </a>
</div>
<div class="langhindi" style="color: #000;display:none;"
href="https://im4change.in/">
<a class="more-link" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/hindi/" class="langbutton ">हिन्दी</a>
</div>
<nav class="fade-in animated2" id="main-nav">
<div class="container">
<div class="main-menu">
<ul class="menu" id="menu-main">
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children"
style="left: -40px;"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/">Home</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item mega-menu menu-item-type-taxonomy mega-menu menu-item-object-category mega-menu menu-item-has-children parent-list"
style=" margin-left: -40px;"><a href="#">KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY <span class="sub-indicator"></span>
</a>
<div class="mega-menu-block background_menu" style="padding-top:25px;">
<div class="container">
<div class="mega-menu-content">
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Farm Crisis</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/farmers039-suicides-14.html"
class="left postionrel">Farm Suicides </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/unemployment-30.html"
class="left postionrel">Unemployment </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/rural-distress-70.html"
class="left postionrel">Rural distress </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/migration-34.html"
class="left postionrel">Migration </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/key-facts-72.html"
class="left postionrel">Key Facts </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/farm-crisis/debt-trap-15.html"
class="left postionrel">Debt Trap </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Empowerment</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/union-budget-73.html"
class="left postionrel">Union Budget And Other Economic Policies </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/forest-and-tribal-rights-61.html"
class="left postionrel">Forest and Tribal Rights </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-education-60.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Education </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-food-59.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Food </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/displacement-3279.html"
class="left postionrel">Displacement </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-work-mg-nrega-39.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Work (MG-NREGA) </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/gender-3280.html"
class="left postionrel">GENDER </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/right-to-information-58.html"
class="left postionrel">Right to Information </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/empowerment/social-audit-48.html"
class="left postionrel">Social Audit </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Hunger / HDI</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/poverty-and-inequality-20499.html"
class="left postionrel">Poverty and inequality </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/malnutrition-41.html"
class="left postionrel">Malnutrition </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/public-health-51.html"
class="left postionrel">Public Health </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/education-50.html"
class="left postionrel">Education </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hunger-overview-40.html"
class="left postionrel">Hunger Overview </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/hdi-overview-45.html"
class="left postionrel">HDI Overview </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/pds-ration-food-security-42.html"
class="left postionrel">PDS/ Ration/ Food Security </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/sdgs-113.html"
class="left postionrel">SDGs </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hunger-hdi/mid-day-meal-scheme-mdms-53.html"
class="left postionrel">Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Environment</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/time-bomb-ticking-52.html"
class="left postionrel">Time Bomb Ticking </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/water-and-sanitation-55.html"
class="left postionrel">Water and Sanitation </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/environment/impact-on-agriculture-54.html"
class="left postionrel">Impact on Agriculture </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="mega-menu-item">
<h3><b>Law & Justice</b></h3>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/social-justice-20500.html"
class="left postionrel">Social Justice </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/access-to-justice-47.html"
class="left postionrel">Access to Justice </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/human-rights-56.html"
class="left postionrel">Human Rights </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/corruption-35.html"
class="left postionrel">Corruption </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/general-insecurity-46.html"
class="left postionrel">General Insecurity </a>
</p>
<p style="padding-left:5px;">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/law-justice/disaster-relief-49.html"
class="left postionrel">Disaster & Relief </a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page "><a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/nceus_reports.php">NCEUS reports</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children parent-list ">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About Us <span
class="sub-indicator"></span></a>
<ul class="sub-menu aboutmenu">
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html">Objectives</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/contactus.php">Contact
Us</a></li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page"><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html">About
Us</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children ">
<a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/fellowships.php" title="Fellowships">Fellowships</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children "><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php">Workshops</a>
</li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children "><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/research.php">Research</a></li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children "><a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/links-64">Partners</a></li>
<li class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children"
id="menu-item-539"><a target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/hindi/"
class="langbutton langlinkfont17">हिन्दी</a></li>
</ul>
</div> </div>
<!-- <div style="float: right;">
<script async src="https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=18b4f2e0f11bed3dd"></script>
<div class="gcse-search"></div>
</div> -->
<div class="search-block" style=" margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 7px;">
<form method="get" id="searchform" name="searchform"
action="https://im4change.in/search"
onsubmit="return searchvalidate();">
<button class="search-button" type="submit" value="Search"></button>
<input type="text" id="s" name="qryStr" value=""
onfocus="if (this.value == 'Search...') {this.value = '';}"
onblur="if (this.value == '') {this.value = 'Search...';}">
</form>
</div>
</nav>
</header>
<div class="container">
<div id="main-content" class=" main1 container fade-in animated3 sidebar-narrow-left">
<div class="content-wrap">
<div class="content" style="width: 900px;min-height: 500px;">
<section class="cat-box recent-box innerCatRecent">
<h1 class="cat-box-title">Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma</h1>
<a href="JavaScript:void(0);" onclick="return shareArticle(9916);">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/email.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/> </a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025/print"
rel="nofollow">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/icon-print.png?1582080630" border="0" width="24" align="right" alt="Share this article"/>
</a>
</section>
<section class="recent-box innerCatRecent">
<small class="pb-1"><span class="dateIcn">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/published.svg?1582080666" alt="published"/>
Published on</span><span class="text-date"> Sep 12, 2011</span>
<span
class="dateIcn">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/modified.svg?1582080666" alt="modified"/> Modified on </span><span class="text-date"> Sep 12, 2011</span>
</small>
</section>
<div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 10px;">
<div class="innerLineHeight">
<div class="middleContent innerInput latest-news-updates">
<table>
<tr>
<td>
<div>
<br /><div align="justify"><em>Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.<br /></em><br />I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution, a farmer showed me a bag of fertiliser that he brought from the market.<br /><br />“Why are you showing me this bag”, I asked. “Wait”, he said, and began to open the bag. It was only when he crushed the granules with his hands that I realised why he wanted me to see the fertiliser bag. The fertiliser was spurious. The jute bag, neatly packed and branded, contained mud granules.<br /><br />Several years later I was travelling in the villages of Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh to understand the reasons behind the spate of farm suicides that had first rocked the nation. This was in 1997 when 37 farmers committed suicide in this district alone. While everyone blamed the weather gods for inflicting a terrible blow to farmers, I found spurious pesticides to be the reason for the failure of the cotton crop. More than 80 per cent of pesticides sold in Warangal district that year were later found to be fake. <br /><br />Two and a half decades later, agriculture is in ruins. The story of the decline in agriculture across the country is the same. Dying crop fields, and crying farmers. With degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides playing havoc with the environment, agriculture is in terrible distress. With farming becoming a losing proposition, and with the entire equation going wrong, agriculture is witnessing a mass exodus.<br /><br />While academicians, economists and policy makers are ascribing several complex reasons for the decline of agriculture, the dark underbelly has somehow remained unexposed. What has actually eaten into the vitals of agriculture over the years is rampant corruption. It is like the vultures swarming around a dead animal carcase. Believe it or not, the despicable farm scenario is no less gory.<br /><br />Fake and sub-standard inputs – seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and machinery is only one part of the story. With quality control in complete shambles, and with many testing laboratories known to have a fixed price tag for approving samples, farmers are always at the receiving end. No wonder, the post of plant protection officers as well as quality control is one of the most sought after in the State Departments of Agriculture. <br /><br />Massive public outlays under the National Horticulture Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, and the National Food Security Mission are in fact being used as grants. When I see the misuse of these outlays, often going into the pockets of senior farm officials, I have always wondered why the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has refrained from focusing on the flagrant misuse of resources in the name of food security.<br /><br />Cosy relationship<br /><br />Agricultural officials and input suppliers have always maintained a cosy relationship. Even where upright officials have blacklisted erring firms, it isn’t difficult to pull down the shutters and then float a new company. Over the years, I have seen the business growing for those who were once known to be selling sub-standard products. <br /><br />Fly-by-night operators adorn the seed industry, and despite seed laws spelling out stringent punishment for marketing fake seeds, the market is full of spurious seeds. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had recently said that a big seed company had supplied inferior maize hybrid seed, and had refused to account for the losses. Ultimately, Bihar government had to pay for the Rs 60-crore loss.<br /><br />Post harvest, the travails of a farmer take a different turn. In areas where procurement centres and mandis exist (mainly in the Green Revolution belt of Punjab, Haryana, western UP and some parts of Madhya Pradesh), invariably farmers are at the mercy of the arhtiyas and the mandi agents. In rest of the country, the farmer is exploited, fleeced and ends up selling his produce in distress. It will not be wrong to say that it is a nightmare for a farmer to get a fair price for his produce and that too after putting in so much of hard labour.<br /><br />Banks, money lenders and micro-credit agencies have been perpetual suckers. Several studies have pointed to the mismanagement (and corruption) in the distribution of bank credit to be the primary reason for the agrarian crisis. Usurping interest charged by micro-finance institutions, often exceeding 24 per cent and that too to be repaid at weekly intervals, as well as the dependence on private money lenders has been the bane of farming.<br /><br />A recent study by Nabard shows how farmers are being duped by nationalised banks. Farmers are being charged double the interest rate for subsidised credit as announced in the annual budget last year. Against the provision of a maximum of 7 per cent interest, banks have included the contingency expenses and other costs, which in reality means the farmer has to shell out an interest of 14 per cent. <br /><br />If you think scientific research, agricultural development and policy framing is devoid of corruption you are grossly mistaken. Much of what hits the farmer is the result of wrong policies. These policies are frames keeping the interest of service providers before farmers. But then, it is a topic for another day. <br /></div>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<br><a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/189016/agriculture-ruins.html" class="re" target="_blank">Deccan Herald, 12 September, 2011, http://www.deccanherald.com/content/189016/agriculture-ruins.html</a><div class="clear"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 18px;">
<p class="post-tag">Tagged with:
<a class="tagcloud5"
href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
title="Agriculture">
Agriculture </a>
<a class="tagcloud5"
href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
title="Environment">
Environment </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<br><br>
<div class="widget-top">
<h4>Related Articles</h4>
<div class="stripe-line"></div>
</div>
<div class="widget-container">
<ul id="recentcomments">
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/tur-nomics-prices-of-india-s-favourite-dal-heat-up-akshi-chawla.html"
title="Tur-nomics: Prices of India’s Favourite Dal Heat Up - Akshi Chawla">
Tur-nomics: Prices of India’s Favourite Dal Heat Up - Akshi Chawla </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/fca-amendment-no-forest-for-the-weary-shreeshan-v-anushka-mohite-mahale-moonis-ijlal.html"
title="FCA Amendment: No Forest For The Weary - Shreeshan V , Anushka Mohite Mahale , Moonis Ijlal">
FCA Amendment: No Forest For The Weary - Shreeshan V , Anushka Mohite Mahale , Moonis Ijlal </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/monsoon-takes-pause-in-august-after-july-deluge-el-nino-may-further-weaken-rains-rural-voice.html"
title="Monsoon takes pause in August after July deluge, El Nino may further weaken rains - Rural Voice">
Monsoon takes pause in August after July deluge, El Nino may further weaken rains - Rural Voice </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/food-inflation-increases-to-11-51-in-july-highest-in-3-5-years.html"
title="Food Inflation Increases to 11.51% in July, Highest in 3.5 Years">
Food Inflation Increases to 11.51% in July, Highest in 3.5 Years </a>
</li>
<li class="recentcomments">
<a href="https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/is-the-land-really-mine-amrutha-kosuru.html"
title="Is the land really mine? - Amrutha Kosuru">
Is the land really mine? - Amrutha Kosuru </a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="comment-respond" id="respond">
<a name="commentbox"> </a>
<h3 class="comment-reply-title" id="reply-title">Write Comments</h3>
<form method="post" accept-charset="utf-8" role="form" action="/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html"><div style="display:none;"><input type="hidden" name="_method" value="POST"/></div> <form class="comment-form" id="commentform" method="post" action="#commentbox" onSubmit="return validate()"
name="cmtform">
<input type="hidden" name="cmttype" value="articlecmt"/>
<input type="hidden" name="article_id" value="9916"/>
<p class="comment-notes">Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked <span
class="required">*</span></p>
<p class="comment-form-author">
<label for="commenterName">Name</label>
<span class="required">*</span>
<input type="text" aria-required="true" size="30"
value=""
name="commenterName" id="commenterName" required="true">
</p>
<p class="comment-form-email">
<label for="commenterEmail">Email</label> <span class="required">*</span>
<input aria-required="true" size="30" name="commenterEmail" id="commenterEmail" type="email"
value=""
required="true">
</p>
<p class="comment-form-contact">
<label for="commenterPh">Contact No.</label>
<input type="text" size="30"
value=""
name="commenterPh" id="commenterPh">
</p>
<p class="comment-form-comment">
<label for="comment">Comment</label>
<textarea aria-required="true" required="true" rows="8" cols="45" name="comment"
id="comment"></textarea>
</p>
<p class="comment-form-comment">
<label for="comment">Type the characters you see in the image below <span class="required">*</span><br><img
class="captchaImg"
src="https://im4change.in/securimage_show_art.php?tk=1161825796" alt="captcha"/>
</label>
</p>
<input type="text" name="vrcode" required="true"/>
<p class="form-submit" style="width: 200px;">
<input type="submit" value="Post Comment" id="submit" name="submit">
</p></form>
</div>
<style>
.ui-widget-content {
height: auto !important;
}
</style>
<div id="share-modal"></div>
<style>
.middleContent a{
background-color: rgba(108,172,228,.2);
}
.middleContent a:hover{
background-color: #418fde;
border-color: #418fde;
color: #000;
}
</style>
<script>
function shareArticle(article_id) {
var options = {
modal: true,
height: 'auto',
width: 600 + 'px'
};
$('#share-modal').html("");
$('#share-modal').load('https://im4change.in/share_article?article_id=' + article_id).dialog(options).dialog('open');
}
function postShare() {
var param = 'article_id=' + $("#article_id").val();
param = param + '&y_name=' + $("#y_name").val();
param = param + '&y_email=' + $("#y_email").val();
param = param + '&f_name=' + $("#f_name").val();
param = param + '&f_email=' + $("#f_email").val();
param = param + '&y_msg=' + $("#y_msg").val();
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: 'https://im4change.in/post_share_article',
data: param,
success: function (response) {
$('#share-modal').html("Thank You, Your message posted to ");
}
});
return false;
}
</script> </div>
</div>
<!-- Right Side Section Start -->
<!-- MAP Section START -->
<aside class="sidebar indexMarg">
<div class="ad-cell">
<a href="https://im4change.in/statemap.php" title="">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/map_new_version.png?1582080666" alt="India State Map" class="indiamap" width="232" height="252"/> </a>
<div class="rightmapbox">
<div id="sideOne" class="docltitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/state-report/india/36" target="_blank">DOCUMENTS/
REPORTS</a></div>
<div id="sideTwo" class="statetitle"><a href="https://im4change.in/states.php"target="_blank">STATE DATA/
HDRs.</a></div>
</div>
<div class="widget widgePadTop"></div>
</div>
</aside>
<!-- MAP Section END -->
<aside class="sidebar sidePadbottom">
<div class="rightsmlbox1" >
<a href="https://im4change.in/knowledge_gateway" target="_blank" style="color: #035588;
font-size: 17px;">
KNOWLEDGE GATEWAY
</a>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
<a href="https://im4change.in/newsletter" target="_blank">
NEWSLETTER
</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 325px;">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava
</p>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/interview-with-prof-ravi-srivastava-on-current-economic-crisis">
<img width="250" height="200" src="/images/interview_video_home.jpg" alt="Interview with Prof. Ravi Srivastava"/>
</a>
<!--
<iframe width="250" height="200" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MmaTlntk-wc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>-->
</p>
<a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery" class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
More videos
</a>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<!--div id="sstory" class="rightboxicons"></div--->
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://im4change.in/list-success-stories" target="_blank">Success Stories</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
href="https://im4change.in/interviews" target="_blank">Interviews</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a href="https://www.commoncause.in/page.php?id=10" >Donate</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1">
<div>
<p class="rightsmlbox1_title"><a
href="https://im4change.in/marquee"
class="isf_link more-link" title="India Focus?" style="border: 4px solid #fdd922;width: 90%;background-color: #fdd922;text-align: center;color: #000000;font-size:18px" target="_blank">India Focus</a></p> </div>
</div>
<div class="rightsmlbox1" style="height: 104px !important;">
<a href="https://im4change.in/quarterly_reports.php" target="_blank">
Quarterly Reports on Effect of Economic Slowdown on Employment in India (2008 - 2015)
</a>
</div>
<!-- <div class="rightsmlbox1">
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.im4.im4change" target="_blank">
</a></div> -->
<!-- <section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
<h2 class="cat-box-title">Most Visited</h2>
</section> -->
<!-- accordion Starts here -->
<!-- <div id="accordion" class="accordMarg">
</div> -->
<!-- accordion ends here -->
<!-- Widget Tag Cloud Starts here -->
<div id="tag_cloud-2" class="widget widget_tag_cloud">
<section class="cat-box recent-box secMarg">
<h2 class="cat-box-title">MOST VISITED TAGS</h2>
</section>
<div class="widget-top wiPdTp">
<div class="stripe-line"></div>
</div>
<div class="widget-container">
<div class="tagcloud">
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Agriculture"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Agriculture</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Food Security"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Food Security</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Law and Justice"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Law and Justice</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Health"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Health</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Food"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Food</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Corruption"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Corruption</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=farming"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">farming</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Environment"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Environment</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Right to Information"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Right to Information</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=NREGS"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">NREGS</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Human Rights"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Human Rights</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Governance"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Governance</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PDS"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PDS</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=COVID-19"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">COVID-19</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Land Acquisition"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Land Acquisition</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=mgnrega"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">mgnrega</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farmers"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farmers</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=transparency"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">transparency</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Gender"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Gender</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Poverty"
target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Poverty</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Farm Laws" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Farm Laws
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Citizenship Amendment Act" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Citizenship Amendment Act
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=CAA NPR NRIC" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">CAA NPR NRIC
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Job Losses" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Job Losses
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Migrant Workers" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Migrant Workers
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=Unemployment" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">Unemployment
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PMGKAY" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PMGKAY
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-KISAN" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-KISAN
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=PM-CARES" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">PM-CARES
</a>
<a href="https://im4change.in/search?qryStr=LFPR" target="_blank" class="tag-link-4 font4">LFPR
</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Widget Tag Cloud Ends here -->
</aside>
<!-- Right Side Section End -->
</div>
<section class="cat-box cats-review-box footerSec">
<h2 class="cat-box-title vSec CatArcha">Video
Archives</h2>
<h2 class="cat-box-title CatArchaTitle">Archives</h2>
<div class="cat-box-content">
<div class="reviews-cat">
<div class="CatArchaDiv1">
<div class="CatArchaDiv2">
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/moving-upstream-luni-fellowship.html" target="_blank">
Moving Upstream: Luni – Fellowship </a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/135-million-indians-exited-multidimensional-poverty-as-per-government-figures-is-that-the-same-as-poverty-reduction.html" target="_blank">
135 Million Indians Exited “Multidimensional" Poverty as per Government... </a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/explainer-why-are-tomato-prices-on-fire.html" target="_blank">
Explainer: Why are Tomato Prices on Fire? </a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57/nsso-survey-only-39-1-of-all-households-have-drinking-water-within-dwelling-46-7-of-rural-households-use-firewood-for-cooking.html" target="_blank">
NSSO Survey: Only 39.1% of all Households have Drinking... </a>
</li>
<li class="CatArchalLi1">
<a href="https://im4change.in/news-alerts-57"
class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
More...
</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/I51LYnP8BOk/1.jpg"
alt=" Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Short-Video-on-im4change-Hindi-website-Inclusive-Media-for-Change" target="_blank">
Im4Change.org हिंदी वेबसाइट का परिचय. Short Video on im4change.org... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kNqha-SwfIY/1.jpg"
alt=" "Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-1- Scope-of-IDEA-and-AgriStack-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022" target="_blank">
"Session 1: Scope of IDEA and AgriStack" in Exploring... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/6kIVjlgZItk/1.jpg"
alt=" "Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-2-Farmer-Centric-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022" target="_blank">
"Session 2: Farmer Centric Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="CatArchaWidth">
<img class="CatArchaImg"
src="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2BeHTu0y7xc/1.jpg"
alt=" "Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring...">
<p class="CatArchaPPad">
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Session-3-Future-of-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-in-Exploring-Digitalisation-in-Agriculture-29-April-2022" target="_blank">
"Session 3: Future of Digitalisation in Agriculture" in Exploring... </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class="divWidth">
<ul class="divWidthMarg">
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Public-Spending-on-Agriculture-in-India-Source-Foundation-for-Agrarian-Studies"
title="Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for Agrarian Studies)" target="_blank">
Public Spending on Agriculture in India (Source: Foundation for...</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Agrarian-Change-Seminar-Protests-against-the-New-Farm-Laws-in-India-by-Prof-Vikas-Rawal-JNU-Source-Journal-Of-Agrarian-Change"
title="Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws in India' by Prof. Vikas Rawal, JNU (Source: Journal Of Agrarian Change) " target="_blank">
Agrarian Change Seminar: 'Protests against the New Farm Laws...</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/Webinar-Ramrao-The-Story-of-India-Farm-Crisis-Source-Azim-Premji-University"
title="Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis (Source: Azim Premji University)" target="_blank">
Webinar: Ramrao - The Story of India's Farm Crisis...</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://im4change.in/video/water-and-agricultural-transformation-in-India"
title="Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship (Source: IGIDR)" target="_blank">
Water and Agricultural Transformation in India: A Symbiotic Relationship...</a>
</li>
<li class="CatArchalLi1">
<a href="https://im4change.in/videogallery"
class="more-link CatArchalAnch1" target="_blank">
More...
</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section> </div>
<div class="clear"></div>
<!-- Footer option Starts here -->
<div class="footer-bottom fade-in animated4">
<div class="container">
<div class="social-icons icon_flat">
<p class="SocialMargTop"> Website Developed by <a target="_blank" title="Web Development"
class="wot right"
href="http://www.ravinderkhurana.com/" rel="nofollow">
RAVINDErkHURANA.com</a></p>
</div>
<div class="alignleft">
<a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/objectives-8.html"
class="link"
title="Objectives">Objectives</a> | <a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/about-us-9.html"
class="link" title="About Us">About Us</a> | <a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/media-workshops.php"
class="ucwords">Workshops</a> | <a
target="_blank" href="https://im4change.in/disclaimer/disclaimer-149.html"
title="Disclaimer">Disclaimer</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Footer option ends here -->
</div>
<div id="connect">
<a target="_blank"
href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html"
title="Share on Facebook">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/Facebook.png?1582080640" alt="share on Facebook" class="ImgBorder"/>
</a><br/>
<a target="_blank"
href="http://twitter.com/share?text=Im4change&url=https://im4change.in/latest-news-updates/agriculture-in-ruins-by-devinder-sharma-10025.html"
title="Share on Twitter">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/twitter.png?1582080632" alt="Twitter" class="ImgBorder"/> </a>
<br/>
<a href="/feeds" title="RSS Feed" target="_blank">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/rss.png?1582080632" alt="RSS" class="ImgBorder"/>
</a>
<br/>
<a class="feedback-link" id="feedbackFormLink" href="#">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/feedback.png?1582080630" alt="Feedback" class="ImgBorder"/>
</a> <br/>
<a href="javascript:function iprl5(){var d=document,z=d.createElement('scr'+'ipt'),b=d.body,l=d.location;try{if(!b)throw(0);d.title='(Saving...) '+d.title;z.setAttribute('src',l.protocol+'//www.instapaper.com/j/WKrH3R7ORD5p?u='+encodeURIComponent(l.href)+'&t='+(new Date().getTime()));b.appendChild(z);}catch(e){alert('Please wait until the page has loaded.');}}iprl5();void(0)"
class="bookmarklet" onclick="return explain_bookmarklet();">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/read-it-later.png?1582080632" alt="Read Later" class="ImgBorder"/> </a>
</div>
<!-- Feedback form Starts here -->
<div id="feedbackForm" class="overlay_form" class="ImgBorder">
<h2>Contact Form</h2>
<div id="contactform1">
<div id="formleft">
<form id="submitform" action="/contactus.php" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="submitform" value="submitform"/>
<input type="hidden" name="salt_key" value="a0e0f2c6a0644a70e57ad2c96829709a"/>
<input type="hidden" name="ref" value="feedback"/>
<fieldset>
<label>Name :</label>
<input type="text" name="name" class="tbox" required/>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<label>Email :</label>
<input type="text" name="email" class="tbox" required/>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<label>Message :</label>
<textarea rows="5" cols="20" name="message" required></textarea>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
Please enter security code
<div class="clear"></div>
<input type="text" name="vrcode" class="tbox"/>
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<input type="submit" class="button" value="Submit"/>
<a href="#" id="closefeedbakcformLink">Close</a>
</fieldset>
</form>
</div>
<div class="clearfix"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="donate_popup" class="modal" style="max-width: 800px;">
<table width="100%" border="1">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" align="center">
<b>Support im4change</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="25%" valign="middle">
<img src="https://im4change.in/images/logo2.jpg?1582080632" alt="" width="100%"/> </td>
<td style="padding-left:10px;padding-top:10px;">
<form action="https://im4change.in/donate" method="get">
<table width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
<tr>
<td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
10
</td>
<td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
100
</td>
<td width="33%" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
1000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
50
</td>
<td style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
500
</td>
<td style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
<input type="text" name="price" placeholder="?" style="font-family: 'Script Font', cursive, Arial;font-size: 20px;font-weight: 700;">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" align="right">
<input type="button" name="Pay" value="Pay"
style="width: 200px;background-color: rgb(205, 35, 36);color: #ffffff;"/>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div><script type='text/javascript'>
/* <![CDATA[ */
var tievar = {'go_to': 'Go to...'};
/* ]]> */
</script>
<script src="/js/tie-scripts.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/bootstrap.js?1575549704"></script><script src="/js/jquery.modal.min.js?1578284310"></script><script>
$(document).ready(function() {
// tell the autocomplete function to get its data from our php script
$('#s').autocomplete({
source: "/autocomplete"
});
});
</script>
<script src="/vj-main-sw-register.js" async></script>
<script>function init(){var imgDefer=document.getElementsByTagName('img');for(var i=0;i<imgDefer.length;i++){if(imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src')){imgDefer[i].setAttribute('src',imgDefer[i].getAttribute('data-src'))}}}
window.onload=init;</script>
</body>
</html>'
}
$cookies = []
$values = [
(int) 0 => 'text/html; charset=UTF-8'
]
$name = 'Content-Type'
$first = true
$value = 'text/html; charset=UTF-8'
header - [internal], line ??
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emitHeaders() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181
Cake\Http\ResponseEmitter::emit() - CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 55
Cake\Http\Server::emit() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 141
[main] - ROOT/webroot/index.php, line 39
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Agriculture in ruins by Devinder Sharma
Published on Sep 12, 2011
Modified on Sep 12, 2011
Degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides are playing havoc, placing agriculture in terrible distress.
I haven’t forgotten that night. Sitting with a group of farmers in a village in Ludhiana district in Punjab, at the height of the Green Revolution, a farmer showed me a bag of fertiliser that he brought from the market.
“Why are you showing me this bag”, I asked. “Wait”, he said, and began to open the bag. It was only when he crushed the granules with his hands that I realised why he wanted me to see the fertiliser bag. The fertiliser was spurious. The jute bag, neatly packed and branded, contained mud granules.
Several years later I was travelling in the villages of Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh to understand the reasons behind the spate of farm suicides that had first rocked the nation. This was in 1997 when 37 farmers committed suicide in this district alone. While everyone blamed the weather gods for inflicting a terrible blow to farmers, I found spurious pesticides to be the reason for the failure of the cotton crop. More than 80 per cent of pesticides sold in Warangal district that year were later found to be fake.
Two and a half decades later, agriculture is in ruins. The story of the decline in agriculture across the country is the same. Dying crop fields, and crying farmers. With degraded soils, depleting groundwater, and chemical pesticides playing havoc with the environment, agriculture is in terrible distress. With farming becoming a losing proposition, and with the entire equation going wrong, agriculture is witnessing a mass exodus.
While academicians, economists and policy makers are ascribing several complex reasons for the decline of agriculture, the dark underbelly has somehow remained unexposed. What has actually eaten into the vitals of agriculture over the years is rampant corruption. It is like the vultures swarming around a dead animal carcase. Believe it or not, the despicable farm scenario is no less gory.
Fake and sub-standard inputs – seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and machinery is only one part of the story. With quality control in complete shambles, and with many testing laboratories known to have a fixed price tag for approving samples, farmers are always at the receiving end. No wonder, the post of plant protection officers as well as quality control is one of the most sought after in the State Departments of Agriculture.
Massive public outlays under the National Horticulture Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, and the National Food Security Mission are in fact being used as grants. When I see the misuse of these outlays, often going into the pockets of senior farm officials, I have always wondered why the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has refrained from focusing on the flagrant misuse of resources in the name of food security.
Cosy relationship
Agricultural officials and input suppliers have always maintained a cosy relationship. Even where upright officials have blacklisted erring firms, it isn’t difficult to pull down the shutters and then float a new company. Over the years, I have seen the business growing for those who were once known to be selling sub-standard products.
Fly-by-night operators adorn the seed industry, and despite seed laws spelling out stringent punishment for marketing fake seeds, the market is full of spurious seeds. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had recently said that a big seed company had supplied inferior maize hybrid seed, and had refused to account for the losses. Ultimately, Bihar government had to pay for the Rs 60-crore loss.
Post harvest, the travails of a farmer take a different turn. In areas where procurement centres and mandis exist (mainly in the Green Revolution belt of Punjab, Haryana, western UP and some parts of Madhya Pradesh), invariably farmers are at the mercy of the arhtiyas and the mandi agents. In rest of the country, the farmer is exploited, fleeced and ends up selling his produce in distress. It will not be wrong to say that it is a nightmare for a farmer to get a fair price for his produce and that too after putting in so much of hard labour.
Banks, money lenders and micro-credit agencies have been perpetual suckers. Several studies have pointed to the mismanagement (and corruption) in the distribution of bank credit to be the primary reason for the agrarian crisis. Usurping interest charged by micro-finance institutions, often exceeding 24 per cent and that too to be repaid at weekly intervals, as well as the dependence on private money lenders has been the bane of farming.
A recent study by Nabard shows how farmers are being duped by nationalised banks. Farmers are being charged double the interest rate for subsidised credit as announced in the annual budget last year. Against the provision of a maximum of 7 per cent interest, banks have included the contingency expenses and other costs, which in reality means the farmer has to shell out an interest of 14 per cent.
If you think scientific research, agricultural development and policy framing is devoid of corruption you are grossly mistaken. Much of what hits the farmer is the result of wrong policies. These policies are frames keeping the interest of service providers before farmers. But then, it is a topic for another day.
Write Comments