India Conference: Food Security Worsened by Government Policy

Wednesday, 08 February 2012

Background

FDI recently attended a symposium held at the University of Western Australia. The two day programme, titled “India and the Age of Crisis”, covered issues of governance and how these affect access to food and water. In attendance was journalist Palagummi Sainath – Rural Affairs Editor for the influential Indian daily, The Hindu – and Dr Swapna Banerjee-Guha – Professor for Development Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Both speakers have written extensively on the critical situation in India, including the damaging policies of the government.

Comment

Poor governance and compulsory land acquisitions are having an impact on food security in India. Enticed by the potential gains from foreign investment, India’s governments, both state and national, are enabling corporations to acquire large tracts of land for industrial development. According to Professor Banerjee-Guha, fertile land is being acquired forcefully by the state, disturbing not only the livelihoods of farmers, but also food production. The purpose of acquisition varies by area, though Banerjee-Guha pointed to specific instances of forceful acquisition which have been overlooked in Western media reporting.

An example of this destructive practice can be seen in the Panchwadi district of Goa, where rice-paddy fields have been earmarked to give way to a road by-pass in order to facilitate the mining and transportation of iron ore. In this area, locals have strongly opposed the project, but the trend seen across the country provides little hope of halting the government’s plans. A similar process has taken place in Keonjhar district in the state of Orissa, where agricultural lands have been displaced by mining operations and chemical plants. In addition to the reduction of agricultural space, a lack of environmental regulation in such districts has resulted in polluted rivers and contaminated drinking water, specifically due to commercial industries.

The actions of the state are exacerbating the already dire situation confronted by many Indian agricultural workers. Palagummi Sainath spoke of the remarkable suicide rate among farmers faced with the difficult conditions of rising input costs and little financial support. It was noted that 256,000 farmers have taken their lives since 1995. Mr Sainath claims privatisation is leading to the transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich, and cites government policies for the continuing suicides. This has come about due to the withdrawal of the state from rural economic activity, as well as large tax concessions being granted to foreign and domestic corporations, both of which affect food security by diverting public resources away from India’s food problem.

While there is no doubt that a rising India must attract investment from abroad to assist with its progress, the above examples are a reminder of the uneven nature of development. The policies of the government have resulted in winners and losers; the impact on the losers is severe and even life-threatening. The challenges already faced by India, in terms of the adequate supply and even distribution of food to its growing population, are being worsened by the government’s approach.

Jay Vella

Research Analyst

Global Food and Water Crises Research Programme

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