Agricultural scientist-economist Prof. Swaminathan will move a private member’s bill in the Rajya Sabha that seeks access to water, credit and inputs for women farmers.

The Women Farmers' Entitlement Bill, 2011, has been submitted to the Rajya Sabha, according to Prof. Swaminathan.

Delivering the first Swami Ranganathanandaji memorial lecture here, he said mahila kisans and yuva kisans (women and youth farmers) would determine the future of Indian agrarian and rural economy. “More and more women are taking to farming as men are migrating to urban areas for work. But they are not getting access to credit as they don’t have pattas,’’ he said.

The bill seeks to address this issue and equip women and youth with tools to carry on farming.

“In order to attract youth to agriculture, we need to make farming intellectually stimulating and economically remunerative,’’ he said.

Prof. Swaminathan called for a panchsheel (five-point programme) for sustainable agriculture to retain youth in agriculture. The five points are: land, water and gene care; technology and inputs; credit and insurance; post-harvest management; and remunerative marketing opportunities.

He said what the country needed was evergreen revolution and not greed revolution. “Farming is a life-saving activity. If farmers are taking their lives, there is something seriously amiss. We need to address this,’’ he said.

kurmanath@thehindu.co.in

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