Deep Roots

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poverty and vulnerability in a sustainable way. There are

several key challenges to address.

Adequate access to water infrastructure is crucial so that

farmers do not rely only on rain for irrigation, while storage

and transport infrastructure are key to increase efficiency and

reduce losses. These are historical problems to which techni-

cal solutions have been available for many years, although the

vast majority of family farmers still suffer with a lack of proper

implementation. Organizations such as SEWA can help by

setting up small-scale projects to address the needs of specific

villages. This is already being done.

Climate change has become a severe problem for Indian

family farmers, especially over the last five years. With weather

patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable, SEWA members

unanimously claim that adaptation measures are desper-

ately needed. An important initial step would be to count on

better weather forecasting tools and techniques that are able

to provide detailed forecasts for the next days and weeks,

and facilitate agriculture planning. However, considering the

dimensions of the climate challenge, it will be necessary to go

far beyond that. SEWA intends to investigate which adaptation

mechanisms already being used by members can be scaled up,

and what can be learned from the experience of family farmers

in other countries.

Attacks by wild animals, migrating due to the destruction

of their habitats, are the result of insufficient conservation

policies. With the devastation of forests, wild animals have

been attacking cereal and vegetable plantations, and this is

one of the factors that have led family farmers to focus more

on cash crops – which are also more lucrative due to higher

prices in the global market. This trend is not positive for

farmers because it reduces their options and increases their

vulnerability. Nor is it positive for Indian society, as it affects

the country’s food security. Measures to reduce the risk of

attacks can be taken independently by farmers who are able

to afford them, but real solutions depend on better policies

for conservation.

In addition to these pressing issues, it is important to high-

light the absence of spaces for dialogue between policymakers

and family farmers. Although SEWA and other unions and

organizations are capable of maintaining regular contact with

policymakers by putting a lot of effort and resources into

it, there are very few official spaces for communication and

consultation with the population as a whole at all levels of

government. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the

Government runs very few surveys on the characteristics and

needs of family farmers, with action based on research being

even rarer. Furthermore, another obstacle in the relation

between farmers and the Government is the difficulty of access-

ing programmes and schemes supposedly created to support

family farming – these are wrapped in so much bureaucracy

and inefficiency that they are inaccessible to a vast majority.

Finally, it is becoming increasingly evident to SEWA that

management and financial education have an important role in

helping family farmers with long-term planning. The complex-

ity of farming activities in India is growing fast: there are serious

environmental crises, the demand for land from private actors

and the Government is increasing, and pressure from multina-

tional companies who act as suppliers or competitors remains

high. In such a context, empowering family farmers to make

conscious decisions about how to manage their resources and

assets, so they do not fall victim to impulsive or misinformed

decisions, becomes a top priority.

Much remains to be done in order to recognize the true value

of women and men family farmers as the worthy ambassadors

of food security and sovereignty. Many awareness raising and

political advocacy actions are still needed to permanently move

away from certain paradigms which clearly work against family

farmers, whatever their origin, specialization, income levels or

holding size. The coming years promise to be fruitful, since

numerous significant activities are already planned for the

remainder of the year. SEWA is certain that it will achieve its

goals for family farming by taking small steps now to power the

future of agriculture.

Adequate access to water infrastructure is crucial so that farmers don’t have

to rely on rain for irrigation

SEWA’s agriculture campaign treats agriculture as an industry, led by small

and marginal farmers, which can become fully self-sustainable and profitable

Image: SEWA

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