As an army of determined Indian farmers keeps up its blockade of New Delhi, the capital of India, farmers have reached a deadlock with the government over its proposed amendments to laws that they feel will destroy their livelihoods and create an opportunity for large, private companies to enter and exploit the entire agriculture sector. It has been many weeks since hundreds of thousands of farmers and their supporters descended on the Indian capital, blockading major roads, to push back on government reforms.

The laws directly affect the farmers in India, but they could also have a significant effect on consumers globally. To fight against three laws passed by the government, farmers from all across the country have been striking outside Delhi despite the capital being a hotspot for Covid-19.

More than half of India’s working population comes from the agricultural sector, many solely rely on farming to put food on their own table. Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh arrived by tractors and on foot in New Delhi last month where they started blocking roads and setting up makeshift camps. Most of them slept on the road or in their tractors, and several places of worship offered protesters food.

People around the world have been protesting to show support and stand with the farmers because the protests are about the people who feed all of us and their fair treatment. Even if we don’t feel a personal connection to the protest or the farmers, as a human being who lives on earth we should be concerned about the exploitation of the people who feed us every day.

Obviously, blue-collar workers across the world are suffering. The farmers in India represent all of them, and their resistance to unjust legislation that privileges the well-off corporations is a resistance that speaks to so many of us all over the world.

What do the laws say?

The Indian government has offered guaranteed prices to farmers for certain crops, creating a stable guide to make decisions and investments for producing the crops for decades. Under the previous laws, farmers had to sell their goods at an auction at their state’s Agricultural Produce Market Committee. A government-agreed minimum price was set for items and the auction was managed by restrictions on who could buy along with top price on essentials.

The government says the new laws give farmers a chance to decide their own prices and sell directly to private businesses, like grocery chains, cutting the middle man, who in this case, is the state’s Agricultural Produce Market Committee.

What do farmers say?

Farmers argue that the new laws help big companies drive down prices. While farmers could sell crops at higher prices if the demand is there, vice versa, they could struggle to meet the minimum price in years when there is too much supply in the market.

The “Green Revolution” of the 1970s turned India from a country facing regular food shortages into one with a surplus and a major exporter. But for the past few decades, farm incomes have remained largely stagnant and the sector is in dire need of investment and modernization.

Farmers see the MSP (Minimum Support Price) as a major safety net, and fear being unable to compete with large farms and being paid cheap prices by corporates. The laws will damage the farmers and in turn, tear down the livelihood. Indeed our government would reconsider as they have to work hand in hand with the farmers during this pandemic outbreak so that the farmers, the backbone of our economy, should get an energy booster for their efforts. Eventually, I would urge everyone to show solidarity to our famers who toil tirelessly for the whole country and for the world as well.

About the author : Saji Uthuppan is a lecturer based in Muscat.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Arabian Stories (TAS) and TAS does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.