Page 25 - Dream May 2020 English

COVID-19 SPECIAL
AGRICULTURE
COVID-19:
A concern for Indian agriculture
K.B. Bhushan
“My crop is ready for harvest. Neither do I have labour to Mhelp harvest the crops nor is there a buyer to buy them.”
– A vegetable farmer.
arch-April is the time for harvesting rabi crop in India. This year, farmers were hoping to earn a lot from the crop cultivated, but their hopes have been shattered by the COVID-19 epidemic.
They are concerned that even getting back their investment is uncertain. All this is because there is an acute shortage of agriculture labourers who normally help in harvesting.
COVID-19 impacting agriculture
The primary disquiet for agriculture-related activities is due to the ongoing 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by the Government to prevent the large-scale outbreak of the coronavirus infection. Restrictions on movement are curbing farmers’ access to markets to buy inputs and sell products. Fresh produce is accumulating at farms, resulting in food loss. The inability of migrant seasonal workers to travel during lockdown has also led to agricultural labour shortage.
A large part of the country in the informal economy sector mainly depends on agriculture. India’s current coronavirus shutdown is a challenge to agriculture as it overlaps with harvesting times. In India, the current season is harvesting
time for rabi crops (wheat, gram, tomatoes, mustard, and other vegetables) which are sown in winter. The standing crops in the field also faced unpredictable rainfall in December-January, which caused damage to crop (especially cereals). Undoubtedly, lockdown is essential to break the transmission chain of the novel coronavirus. But, at the same time, this initiative has triggered a further setback on Indian farmers and has posed a never before challenge for Indian
India needs about 250 lakh quintals of seeds for the kharif season. The preparation of the seeds takes place between March and May. From there, they are sent to labs for testing and, finally, are packaged for supply to the farmers. This is a time-consuming process and hence should be taken care of while making plans and policies with reference to remedial strategies for the coronavirus pandemic.
agriculture. To address this unique challenge, a systematic approach with all stakeholders is necessary. Indeed the Indian government, the private sector and common people are contributing to their individual capacity.
Government initiatives for agriculture sector
The Centre and State Governments have taken several steps to alleviate fear and announced exemptions for the agriculture sector – seeds, labourers, and farm-related activities. States such as Telangana and UP, among others, have been very proactive. Special packages have also been announced for different sectors. The railways have been roped in to ease transport logistics. ICAR has also issued an agro-advisory to maintain hygiene and social distancing. Famers are being encouraged to follow precautions
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