Agriculture

I am reading a chapter on Agriculture from How Asia Works. There seems to be a pattern in the failure and apathy towards farmers.

  1. Land ownership is uneven. Most farmers are tenants, not owners. 
  2. Lack of government’s loan and subsidy forcing farmers to private lenders, who charge a higher interest. Failure of repayment results in dire consequences. 
  3. Fertilizers and seeds are bought at an inflated price as there is no state control. 
  4. Dependence on rainwater as irrigation facilities is missing.  
  5. Lack of education about cash crops which could help in making a better life and getting more income.
  6. Missing industrialization in post-production.  
  7. Farmers don’t decide the selling price of the yield but buyers. 
  8. Newer generation migrating the urban lifestyle for a better life. 

Another documentary I was watching talks about how this has resulted in the rise of local armed militias as unemployed youth needs food. Some have forced into drug consumption or in the cultivation of narcotics.

China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have done better than the rest. They have provided loans, subsidy, and proper land reforms. In some cases, they bough yield at higher prices from farmers to have them a better life. 

The book talks about 1950, second world post-wartime reforms. Reading it made me think more about India. I feel all the above problems persist and what is forcing farmers to give up cultivation. We have come a long way from the past but have barely scratched the surface. 

supreme

Why do we listen and follow sages, gods, or gurus? How do we know their teachings are supreme? I have been thinking about it for some time.

I am not saying there is a fault with their knowledge. But how much can I take it? The beliefs, dogmas, and superiority of one do not go well with me.

I love nature and, I believe we have so much to learn from it. Our existence is invisible to this vast universe.

With the advancement in technology and society, we have forgotten nature and got hooked to individual personas and preachings.

open

We have control over our opinions. The way we see the world around us. We paint our life with the paintbrush of our thoughts and action.

I had a call last day and, my friend/elder brother, who advised me to see the positive side of things. Every human on this planet has something positive. We should focus and learn that piece.

I spent some time last night thinking on the same and realized that in some cases, I formed my opinions on many things with an opaque lens. It has not been helpful for my personal or professional growth.

I am lucky among the few because I got this feedback, not many friends/family members tell you all this.

who

Who is going to stand by you? Are we all not alone in our little world? Thoughts, imagination, dreams all are ours. Who owns responsibility?

I have been seeing a trend where people don’t want to change, move on, or take steps ahead. Some are victims of their past, live by the memories, and sometimes sulk in it.

Past has already happened, good or bad is how it was. The present is where we have to live. If we keep dwelling into the past and take no actions in making a better present, we will be left far behind. Time is the only constant. Time waits for nobody, always ticking and taking you closer to the end of life.

With a limited amount of time, why can’t we live at our best like a train traveler taking every moment as a journey of a new destination? Some worth learning. Why do we have to get attached?

It is our life, and we have to take control. Nobody else can make us feel better if we are not willing for the first step.

dependent

Why do we have to be dependent on alcohol, drugs, smoking, or a guru? Is it because we are scared to accept and live our lives in real sense? We have read or heard that the consumption of foreign substances will make us better?

I feel we are scared of living as we are. Why can’t we see inwardly? We are afraid of accepting ourselves.

What is the guarantee that the dependence of external substances will guide in the right direction?

When this life is ours, are we not supposed to self introspect, learn our nature, and live with it?

bored

I keep hearing from people around how we get bored. The moment we feel empty. We have nothing to think about, do which excites us. Is this state self-created? Is it because we don’t know what we want?

How can we get bored knowing our existence on this planet is limited? We have so many amazing people around who depend on us? There is so much to read, learn, and understand about us.

purpose

What keeps us moving?
What makes our life unique?
What keeps us moving against all the odds, failures?

The more and more I read about the life of successful people or those who left their mark on society. It makes me realize they had a purpose: Martin Luther King to Mahatma Gandhi to Nelson Mandela to Mother Teresa. This one thing drove them every single moment of their life.

How many of us have got a purpose for our existence? Or are we just living like a wild beast?

reunions

Reunions result in bringing memories of the past. Be it with school friends or colleagues. There has never been a dull moment. Sometimes it makes me wonder about our innocence at others about our foolishness, bravery.

Reunions are bittersweet. The conversation about your crushes, their present life. The sports teacher and being caned bunking morning PTs. Late-night shows, jumping hostel walls after light out or drinking, smoking inside the hostel campus. It all makes me laugh.

This conversation also reminds me of freedom and a careless attitude. I am not judging it now or seeking answers. Life was simple and less about hoarding or buying. An ice cream or evening golgappas were sufficient to bring all the cheers.

Life was not about fitting in but living together and figuring it out. As we all were young and we had no expectations. For me, the study was the last concern. I don’t know what I was seeking then, It must have been like a train ride, and parents bought a ticket for me.

It also makes me feel that life was simple, less goal-oriented, or aspirational. It was more about making the best of now, explore and learn from mistakes, and move on. It was less plastic or imaginary.

utopia

Most of us living in the metro are part of a bubble. We are part of a parallel universe. It is like living in a utopia: capitalism, consumerism, and modernity is the virtue and elements like cars, housing society, mobile fostering the identity.

I see people complaining about electricity failure or water not coming for a day for maintenance. I see folks fighting with delivery agents or negotiating for a few rupees with vendors.

I also see a class of people speaking at conferences, presenting slides, graphs, data, and echoing India’s development. I also see people doing thought leadership and predictions on various subjects, platforms.

Either we happily neglect the other India, or we don’t want to see it. An India where every year millions go homeless because of the flood, people still kill siblings over land disputes, kids go to eat not study at school. An India where untouchability is deep-rooted, life lost over entering a temple or fetching water from a pond. Cities of India where one bus connects the entire village from the rest, electricity comes occasionally, and pure drinking water is a dream. An India where dowry or honor killing exists. An India where entire families meal depends on the sale of vegetables in the village mandi. An India where eating out once in a month or eating meat, sweets is no less than a celebration. An India where new dresses are bought once or twice a year.

I am not trying to be a cynic. I am part of it. There is another India that forms 95% of our population. An India which serves labor forces to build your apartment, deliver our food, or clean our house, or take you home from the airport. They are like us humans with emotions, cravings for love, respect, and belonging. Do not treat them live robots, slaves, or trash.

This 95% is not the TRP or ad-material for media. Their stories are not worth chasing. Our government has made them invisible long back.