With the phenomenon of Covid-19, the world is moving towards a reset mode. The entire gamut of lifestyle is undergoing a change with re-prioritization of issues affecting the day to day life to meet the new challenges which the pandemic presents. India being no exception were Covid-19 is spreading its influence with every passing day affecting the health and livelihoods of people at an enormous rate.
On March 24, India ordered a nationwide lockdown and later extended it further till May 3 with anticipation to flatten the curve of infections and mortalities across the country. However, analyzing the trends across the globe, it is likely that curbs will go beyond the deadline until the curve is flattened. Lockdown per se is an interim measure to decrease/check the rate of spread of the disease by halting the movement of people.
Though the curbs are limiting the health crisis and giving a breathing space to Government agencies to activate the response, the impact on livelihoods and economy remains unaddressed in a chronic situation. People working in the informal sector are losing jobs, while as in the formal sector, probable salary cuts are waiting in the queue, and small businesses are struggling to survive.
The rural economy, based on-farm and non-farm activities, is badly affected. The gravity can be measured by examples like decreased demand of boiler chicken in Jharkhand with rates falling as low as INR 20/Kg from INR 90/Kg, the sea of rotten vegetables in Tamil Nadu, closed rural haats in Orrisa, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh, closed mandis in Maharashtra and Madya Pradesh, empty tourist resorts and hotels in Jammu and Kashmir. The government is trying to relax the curbs in non-hotspot rural zones to keep the rural economy afloat.
Still, both the present and future of livelihoods are in great distress and muddle, due to poor transport, low market demand, broken supply chains, and future uncertainty. In the context of Jammu and Kashmir, rural livelihoods contribute a sizeable percentage to the overall economy. Like in other parts of the country, here also the farmers, artisans, agricultural labourers are struggling.
Though somehow by the efforts of local institutions, government, NGOs and savings they are trying to survive, there is a visible anxiety and looming depression over the fear of loss of livelihood if the curbs continue. Now here comes the role of professionals like social workers, rural development experts, policymakers, and other government and non-government agencies to help the rural population sustain their livelihoods amid curbs and limits.
How Can We Help Farmers Sustain Their Livelihoods And Revive The Rural Economy?
In this write-up, I try to suggest some measures which could help sustain the rural livelihoods economically and generally. With the disruption of supply chains and lockdown in the mandis, the farmers will struggle to manage the unsold fewer vegetables and fruits; cold storage is not a sustainable and economically viable option for marginal farmers, therefore need arises for the value addition of such eatables. Though there is always a demand for dried vegetables in the offseason, their drying through conventional methods has flaws.
Modern-day solar drying through solar dryers is an option. The government must step in to make availability of such dryers for community-level purchases. Value addition by preservation is another option; making pickles, sauces, jams, etc. from vegetable and their comprehensive packaging and branding can help the farmers to minimize the losses and also meet the food crisis during the pandemic.
Online and offline training to farmers, producers, growers, women self-help groups at the community level can be organized and planned by the relevant departments and other private players. The struggle of farmers in getting the genuine price of their produce is already a pre- covid-19 problem, the reason being a number of institutional voids and mismanagement. It is a golden opportunity to converge the small and marginal farmers into Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) and enterprises, enabling them to get the power of negotiation, bulk production, capacity building for risk-taking behaviour, safety nets and specific branding.
Departments like Agricultural, Horticulture, Rural Livelihoods Society can formulate a simple, comprehensive convergence plan to form such organizations and help them emerge with new supply chains. Geographically every area and cluster in Jammu and Kashmir has its speciality and uniqueness in terms of livelihoods and products with enormous production potential.
Here, people are involved in the production of quality furniture, shawls, pottery, paper machine, etc. with one of the main customer bases being the tourists alongside artisans selling the products in meals like SARAS. As Covid-19 has devastated a market like this, there is a need to ensure alternative marketing options. E-marketing on the pattern of Taobao villages of China can help in maximizing market opportunities. It will help an artisan and a farmer in the village to get a platform for better marketing. The IT department, along with the other line departments, can connect the rural artisans with customers through e-commerce.
Due to disruption in connectivity, rural artisans are craving for raw material as they were dependent on the middlemen and contractors. The artisans are always on a financial disadvantage when purchasing raw material, especially in sectors like sozni, hook work, carpet weaving, etc. We can use the credit facility, through micro-financing institutions like SHGs, villages organisation, and cluster-level federations, to enhance their raw material purchasing power. It is the responsibility of the government and allied agencies to ensure the availability of raw material at the doorstep to make the continuation of work possible.
Likewise, as far as the poultry sector is concerned, the rates have nosed to add to the already existing challenges to rare the boiler chicken. Therefore, it is time to switch to backyard poultry. The concept can be revived in a medium-scale through Horti- Poultry Model viewed as a novel way to increase the income of farmers. The advantages of this model are food security, fertilization to orchid, low on cost, and high on income. Jammu Kashmir has immense potential for medicinal plants and other non-timer forest produce.
There is an abundance of medicinal plants like Himalayan Dolomiaea, Indian Belladona, Indian Atees, Wild Onion, Picrorhiza, Jatamansi, Rhubarb, May Apple, Yam, Yellow morel, Red mountain fleece, etc. Department of Forest conservation, Indian Institute of Integrated Medicine, ISM, must formulate a comprehensive plan to engage the jobless rural labourers dwelling near the forest areas by allowing them to opt for NTFP as an option of livelihoods and help in the subsequent marketing of produce at a national and international level.
Collection can quickly be done in adherence to social distancing norms. As the situation is unprecedented and uncertain, a change in approach, models, and marketing strategies is pivotal to sustain the rural economy.
The article was first published here.