Asset Reforms and Other Recommendations of the National Commission on Farmers

The Swaminathan Report refers to the five reports the National Commission on Farmers forwarded between December 2004 and October 2006. Prof M.S. Swaminathan was the chairman of this commission. 

The Swaminathan Report includes major findings and suggestions on farmer competitiveness, agricultural production, irrigation, employment, food security, credit, and insurance. The Swaminathan Report included recommendations for reaching the goal of “faster and more diverse growth.”

The Commission Provided Recommendations 

1. The country’s food and nutrition security strategy.
2. Increase the productivity and long-term viability of farming operations.
3. Reforms to boost the supply of finance to farmers in rural areas.
4. Farmers in arid, hilly, and coastal areas can participate in dryland agricultural programs.
5. Improve farm commodity quality and cost competitiveness.
6. Import protection for farmers when world prices decline.
7. Providing local governments with the tools they need to protect the biological underpinnings for improved agriculture.

Asset Reform

There are several asset reforms that the commission suggested. They are-

Land reforms – Distribute surplus and wastelands from the ceiling.

Preventing diversion-Ensure that prime agricultural land and forest are not diverted for non-agricultural purposes.

Availability- Cropping rights and seasonal accessibility to forests, and accessibility to common resources, are available to tribals and pastoralists.

National Land Use Advisory Service-Land use decisions will be linked to ecological, meteorological, and marketing aspects through the National Land Use Advisory Service.

Irrigation – Increasing water availability by capturing rainwater and making aquifer recharge essential.

“Million Wells Recharge”- Development of a campaign focusing on private wells.

Food Security – In both rural and urban settings, the fall in per capita food grain supply and its unequal distribution have major consequences for food security.

Low-risk, low-cost solutions -To give farmers as much money as possible in crop failure.

Village Knowledge Centers -These will function as information and referral centers for all elements of agricultural and non-agricultural livelihoods.

Formulating a National Food Guarantee Act-Food can be kept for Work and Employment Guarantee programs in existence.

Price Stabilization Fund-To ensures that the farmers are protected against price changes.

Bioresources – Rural Indians rely on diverse bioresources for nutrition and livelihood security and must be conserved.

Traditional biodiversity -Access rights should be preserved, and community-based breed conservation should be encouraged.

Encouraging public investments in agriculture-This will help increase capital in the industry.

Productivity -Indian agriculture’s per-unit-area production is substantially lower than that of other major crop-producing nations. It is suggested that a countrywide network of specialized soil testing laboratories with micronutrient deficiency detecting facilities shall be established.

Encouraging conservation farming- To protect and promote soil health, water quantity and quality, and biodiversity. 

Farmers’ Suicides – Farmers’ Commission at the state level, with farmer representation, ensures a proactive government response to farmers’ problems.

Finally, the NCF advises that Agriculture, which is part of the State List, be added to the Constitution’s Concurrent List.

Reforms in support services

Reforms in support services for the farmers are a high priority requirement as many farmers face difficulty due to lack of the same. Small farmers and nature should be prioritized in the research plan. For the prudent and safe application of recombinant DNA technologies, a National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority should be established with farmers’ representatives.

Agro-Metrology:  A combined internet-FM or HAM radio service would be extremely beneficial to bring reforms in support services to high-seas fishers.

Credit and Insurance Options

In villages, both credit and insurance literacy are required. ‘Gyan Chaupals’ can assist in this endeavour. Expand the formal credit system’s reach to include the impoverished and needy.

Create an ‘Agriculture Risk Fund’ to assist farmers in the aftermath of many natural disasters.

Women should be given ‘Kisan’ Credit Cards as soon as possible, with joint ‘pattas’ to their homes or agricultural property as collateral.

Crop loans in water shortage areas should have a 4-5 year payback cycle, considering risk management.

Farmers of the Future

Farmers of the future aim to implement futuristic and cooperative farming and service cooperatives. Small and outlying farmers will benefit from cooperative farming since the cooperative may supply centralized services such as tractors and other agricultural equipment, as well as machinery for threshing and drying, to assist small-scale decentralized output. This will save production costs while also improving product quality and, as a result, revenue.

Self-help Group Agricultural: Encourage groups to lease acreage to encourage Self-help groups at the production end of the farming sector.

Small Holders’ Estates: Cotton, medicinal plants, poultry, horticulture, and aquaculture have all benefited from the creation of Small Holders’ Estates. These will aid in promoting group collaboration among farmers in villages, watersheds, or irrigation project command areas.

Contract farming: Symbiotic contracts benefiting producers and buyers will be great for assuring predictable and profitable selling prospects. A Code of Conduct for the Farming Contract will be required for major groups of farm commodities like fruits, vegetables, tuber crops, lentils, flowers, medicinal herbs, oilseeds, sugarcane, cereals, and textiles.

Farmers’ Corporations: Small farmers and the SHGs should be considered stakeholders, not just shareholders, in such corporations.

Conclusion

The National Commission on Farmers (NCF), chaired by Professor M S Swaminathan, was established in 2004 and issued five reports between 2004 and 2006, recommending measures to improve the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of India’s primary farming systems. To achieve higher productivity growth in agriculture, the NCF advocates a large increase in public investment in farm-related infrastructure, including water, drainage, development of land, water conservation, research and development ( R&D), and road connection, among other things.