The agriculture sector has undergone many transformations. Barring the most common one, which is chemically fuelled, there are other variations like organic, natural and regenerative. While these non-chemical derivatives have roots in different epistemological foundations, they are all primarily meant to produce safe food and environmental restoration. Their emergence, adoption, and popularisation can largely be attributed to the individual endeavours of farmers and agricultural experts. The significance of these diverse approaches for peasants, as well as the obstacles in adoption by a larger number of farmers, deserve attention. This article attempts to explore these aspects from both the farmers’ and consumers’ end.
Since the revelation of the green revolution myth and the subsequent manifestation of its ill effects on the environment and public health, agricultural practices have come under scrutiny. However, the producers and the consumers, the two sides of the same coin, witnessed and experienced it completely differently. It is thus important to examine the entire supply chain from farm to plate.
Saga of grains, their producers
Food is produced in a factory. If we take the example of rice, the price is inflated by almost 110 per cent from the farm gate price to the end consumer’s procurement price. It is ironic that while the grain spends the longest time in the hands of farmers before consumption and the shortest duration in factories, the farmers receive the smallest share of the pie. The entire produce is purchased from the farmers by the warehouse owners for milling and further value-addition.
At the consumer’s corner
The perceived value of food is often tied to its brand recognition and marketing strategy, which can elevate it to a premium product in the marketplace. Consumers are willing to pay a premium, if a brand can create a compelling and enchanting perception of the quality of their product. Noted German political scientist, economist, and philosopher Karl Marx explained this phenomenon as “commodity fetishism”. The exact worth of a commodity is decided based on its exchange value rather than its true use value.
PRADAN, a national NGO and a facilitator of “Aamon”, the Nayagram-based women Farmer Producer Organisation, organised 10-plus fares and exhibitions on rural produce in Kolkata between 2019 and 2022. In these events, while interacting with the urban consumers, it was observed that almost 85 per cent of the visitors were not aware of the diversity and nutritive values of various kinds of paddy. There is an absolute lack of knowledge on aspects like - different varieties of paddy, the presence of bran in the paddy kernel, and the fact that naturally coloured paddy exists with diverse and unique nutritional values.
Farmers’ point of view
Farming is the major source of livelihood for rural Indians. It has always played a significant role in shaping their cultures, traditions, and identities. Paradoxically, farmers become the most invisible part when the grains are packed and sold to the end consumer. The combination of blockchain and tracing back technology has enabled the tracking of a food product’s journey from the farm to the plate by maintaining detailed data, but unfortunately, this visibility of the farmers’ activities is not intended to acknowledge their efforts but rather for surveillance purposes. This entire process alienates farmers from the final commodity so strongly that farmers also disassociate themselves from their produce once it is sold.
This farm-to-plate process resists building up any social relationship between producer and consumer. No one cares for the other, both of them are looking up to the brand for assurance. Consumers are ready to pay a premium for the brand value and not to the farmers. And farmers are all concerned about the price they get. In such a disconnected situation, providing farmers with enough reasons and motivation to grow safe food or go organic is difficult.
Challenges in scaling up organic production:
Organic, regenerative, and natural farming – all these methodologies have proved their potential in sustainably producing safe food. Shifting from chemical to heirloom and organic agriculture doesn’t result in loss of production. Moreover, the cost of production is reduced by 80-90 per cent in these methods compared to chemical-based farming. In all economic senses, shifting to organic practices is beneficial. Still, mere cost-benefit analysis and the effectiveness of the technology are not sufficient to shift the habit of farmers from chemical to organic.
We have realised that consumers and farmers fail to exist within each other’s mental map, and this gap in the societal relationship needs to be plugged in. Thus, correcting the broken relationship between farmers and consumers should be the prime focus.
PRADAN developed a campaign – “We shall eat better and feed better.’’ It went a long way and helped immensely in mobilising almost 6,000 women by 2021, converting their entire land to organic from a mere 500 in 2018. Simultaneously, several initiatives were taken to elevate farmers within the value chain. The major activities involved empowering farmers to add value to their products, facilitating the formation of producer companies, and establishing direct market linkages. Eventually, the women farmer’s own identity as a producer emerged as the brand “Aamon”. Aamon having a women shareholder base of 2,677 women, is catering to more than 6,000 women in the Nayagram block of Jhargram district.
More such initiatives need to be taken up, where the farmers produce safe food to feed their children safe food. There need to be more attempts to evoke a sense of greater interconnectedness which resonates deeply with the farmers, touching a chord that reverberates widely. That is where the agricultural shift towards organic farming will happen.
The author is Team Coordinator - WEST BENGAL at Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN).