How Punjab farmers are failed by the system

Writing this article and narrating anecdotes, in the hope of being able to explain why agriculture in Punjab is in a mess, affords me little joy. However, my experiences as Chairman of the Punjab State Farmers' and Farm Workers' Commission were infinitely rewarding despite the years of frustration. Essentially, most times, it was a herculean task to even get the departments concerned to acknowledge the commission's letters, let alone engage with what is a statutory body.

As a last resort, we reached out to the Chief Minister's Office, seeking that direction be sent to the departments to designate an officer to deal with the commission. We also sought that the departments which impact farmer livelihoods should seek our comments on policy matters on the files.

Sure enough, to our elation, the Chief Secretary (CS) sent out the necessary noting to all departments concerned. However, not one department designated an officer; repeat, not one. One department did send us a set of four files seeking our comments. The commission rejected each of the fund allocation proposals. Never again did any department seek our comments.

In hindsight, I can laugh at myself for trying, but at the time, we went back to air our grievances. The CS said that in Punjab, one could only write to the departments but not make officers follow orders. Love it or loathe it, that is the true beating heart of Punjab. The directive was more likely seen by the officers as an overzealous turf encroachment. It wasn't.

Seeking out-of-the-box solutions for the paddy stubble burning and inspired by the X Prize set up by Peter Diamandis, the farmers' commission proposed to set up a paddy straw challenge fund, which, with great reluctance, the government allowed.

The prize offered was $1 million to anyone who developed an ecological solution to decompose paddy straw in situ on the soil in 15 days. The idea was that each year, the prize money could be doubled till a solution was found.

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) was designated to assess the veracity of the solution and the commission was asked to depute the PAU to advertise it globally.

Months later, when the commission asked how the PAU had advertised the prize, it was flabbergasted to learn that only 15 emails had been sent out and the PAU could not even provide the list of the recipients.

What is the PAU all about? Visualise a bird caked in crude oil from an oil spill and gasping for funds, support and direction. The commission held multiple discussions with PAU alumni in senior positions across the world to draw a roadmap for the PAU's revival.

The idea faded away after member secretary Balwinder Sidhu and I left the commission. I feel apologetic to those who had volunteered to contribute. It saddens me that the commission which Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalkat, the redoubtable agricultural scientist, and we loved and worked for, has since been reduced to a state of ignominy.

How is the Punjab farmer supported? On the ground, there are more than 10 departments in each administrative block, supposedly giving different services to the farmers. After meeting officers on the ground, it was clear that they had never sat together to strategise or coordinate efforts.

The commission suggested that the state convene a quarterly coordination meeting of the block-level officers in every district to ensure transparency and delivery. Alas, there were no takers for it. The rot has acquired deep roots for want of an able leadership to stem it.

The commission found that newly recruited agricultural development officers had been posted and given charge without even a day's training or any understanding of the regulations and their duties.

The commission convened a one-day interactive workshop to understand the issues of the officers. Long-serving officers informed us that in 25 years, no one had ever sought their opinion or called them for workshops to understand departmental issues.

I realised that Lee Thyler's words, said in a different context, apply to Punjab's agriculture: 'Most people prefer a problem they can't fix, than a solution they don't like." This is especially true for farmer union leaders.

When the commission sought the reports on farmer suicides by three different universities, we were denied access on grounds that the findings could be inflammatory. Again, we disagreed. It was apparent that the reports were inconsistent and had used flawed methodologies.

The deputy commissioners were legally bound vide a 2015 policy to constitute district-level committees for the rehabilitation of the family in which a farmer had committed suicide.

The commission found no follow-up initiatives on the DCs’ part and a total reneging of responsibilities. Like most offices in Punjab, the district offices are under-equipped, understaffed and overworked, and that could be the possible explanation.

One could narrate mortifying tales till the cows come home. But there is one idea which is very close to my heart and worth a mention.

The commission had sought to reduce chemical use on the farms, revolutionise farm extension, increase yield, improve the quality of the produce and increase farmer incomes.

An app, which could be operated on a minuscule budget even by a class VIII student, was developed. Shopkeepers were required to file information on all agricultural inputs sold to farmers in real time on government servers. The shopkeepers were repeatedly consulted and their suggestions incorporated.

But the department could not even provide the data of licensed pesticides or pesticides sold in the state for the app to become operational.

These anecdotes are not signs of complacency, but of paralysis.

The opening line of Joan Didion's book 'The White Shadow' is: "We tell ourselves stories in order to live." With remorse, the Punjab story seems to be falling apart.