Challenging "Green Revolution"
Challenging corporate takeover of agricultural lands and the so-called “Green Revolution” The Indian government, dictated upon by the WTO and IMF-WB, continues to promote anti-people and anti-women policies, thereby supporting multinational and corporate incursions in agricultural lands. Large tracts of agricultural land are being given away at subsidized rates for use of industrial purposes. As a result of this, agriculture has been seriously affected and a large number of the poor, especially Dalits and indigenous communities, have lost their livelihoods.
New technological farming practices have taken away the fertility of soil and caused environmental degradation. Excessive tree-felling and destruction of water preservation resources have further aggravated the situation. The decay of nature and environment continue to worsen. These have had a great economic impact on Dalit communities, composed mainly of manual scavengers, landless labourers and agricultural workers. When trade agreements bring investments to the country, vast lands are occupied through the establishment of big special economic zones. These zones employ mostly Dalit women, especially young girls -- subjecting them to grave exploitation in factories. At present, these trade agreements have brought in more multinational corporations, among them Nokia and Korean and Japaneseowned glass factories and car companies in Tamil Nadu.
Case in point is the experience of the Dalit women’s movement in Kosalnagar. After successful campaigning and mobilizing, they were awarded two hectares of land under the Land Reform Act ten years ago . They practiced collective farming and were able to cultivate their lands into productive lands. They grew their own vegetables and marketed their produce. They did not have to rely on big vegetable markets; they had food security and food sovereignty. They had healthy food free of harmful fertilizers and pesticides. Their land, their seeds, their food, their produce -- all according to the needs of their families and community.
Now, after 10 years, the government is threatening to take away all the fruits of their hard work and labour for the building of a corporate solar power plant. Further, the WTO/IMF-WB-backed “Green Revolution” has widened the gap in farm labour productivity and brought about the worsening agrarian and environmental crisis in India. The massive use of costly industrial inputs to increase yields and offset economies of scale proved to be almost impossible to achieve in this densely-populated country. Agricultural communities continue to be exposed to the hardships and hazards of corporate farming practices. The WTO-AOA has made Dalit farmers dependent on companies like Monsanto and Sygenta for seeds and harmful fertilizers. These companies only give out seeds if the farmers use these fertilizers.
There is an urgent need to address this crisis and reach out to more communities that are unaware of sustainable agricultural practices. In one particular village, 55 women were forced to remove their uteruses because of the hazardous effects of pesticides that are used in the fields. School children were also subjected to child labour and fell victim to these harmful effects. They were employed to pluck flowers for floriculture for less than 2 rupees, and hurt their private parts very badly (some do not wear panties) from the thorns of flowers they collect in their frocks.
Meanwhile in Thazavedu, pesticides have completely destroyed the land. Dalit farmers have been known to commit suicide for failing to harvest crops from the contaminated lands. By supporting and encouraging Dalit women’s collective farming and agroecological efforts, Dalit women can assert and fight against corporate land-grabbing and harmful pesticide use, and achieve food sovereignty with environmental sustainability. GMOs are challenged because Dalit women will be saving and preserving their own seeds. Big retail shops and commercial markets are challenged because small villages will be self-sustaining. Dalit women will be given their space and agency in decision-making and policy-building. Collective farming, thus, becomes not just an economic activity but also an important political means for women empowerment in agriculture and society.
Among SRED’s most notable campaigns on collective farming include the reclamation of Dalit women in Kaverirajapuram in Thiruvallur district of 196 acres of land; in Pallur in Vellore district of 7 acres of land; and in 19 villages of Chittoor Jilla of Andhra Pradesh wherein 830 Dalit women now have access to 1,350 acres of land. All these lands are now being used for collective farming, utilizing natural farming and agroecological practices.
