Sustainable Mountain Development Summit VII

SOCIAL DRIVERS OF CHANGE

(Well being of Next generation of Farmers in the Mountains)

The entire world too is talking about change, but on a different plane.
They are talking about the terrifying rate of change and the accompanying
complexities. There is a lot of question of adaptation to the changes being
brought about by the various technological developments that is driving the fast
development of AI (artificial intelligence), robotics and space travel down to
driverless electric cars - About Moore’s law of computing speed and eventually
the Technological Singularity and the emergence of a new human civilization
and culture.

Frightening, when we really think of it, and further seem too marvellous
for us the mountain people of the Himalayas. But let us understand that we too
are being affected by all the changes that are taking place. If today, we talk
about migration from the villages to the towns, is it not because the youth in the
mountain villages are in constant touch, through their mobile phones, with those
living in the urban areas. If we talk about the growing urbanization among the
mountain people, it is because the Dish TVs are beaming the images of urban
life into the remotest rural homes high in the mountains or deep in the valleys. If
50% of the people living in the rural Census towns seek non agricultural
income, is it not because they have realised the need of modern day gadgets
such as the refrigerators, the TVs, the mobile phone and gas cookers or even the
cars and vehicles without which life is not possible. They therefore, have to earn
more to be able to afford all the gadgets their parents and forefathers did not
even dream about. What about Gender? If we hear more about rapes and
molestation, it is not because they have become more frequent, but because the
women are more empowered and therefore, more vocal and the available
technology can carry their voices further and louder even beyond national
boundaries.

We are all part of the changing or the changed world. It is like Climate
change. It’s a reality and we cannot reverse the process that is already in

1
motion. We have no other option but to adapt. Similarly, the drivers of change
are already in motion all around us - all encompassing. Our efforts should be
therefore, be to engage with them and expedite their induction into our society –
to our farmers in the mountains. Our concern should be how soon can we
introduce them. Technological change is like a Tsunami. We should not change
its course but rather direct it as rationally as possible to our mountain people.

In this direction, and further to expedite the pace of change, we have to

adopt policies to make the farmers adapt to the changes. To speak some jargon
Specialise, modernise, mechanise and legalise. as also take up some
intervention in the legal systems.

Specialise:
The farmers should start to produce at commercial scale for enabling
marketability of their products.
Select crops of value and ensure their production in commercial scale. OTOP -
OVOP
We always take the example of Parmar and the Apple industry of Himachal. If
we could do it for one product why not another.

Mechanise :Introduce,Induct, innovate, or even invent machinery to increase

production. Import is also a possibility.
This is especially pertinent in view of the fact of very low labour in the
mountains.The population in the mountains are not only low but migration have
taken away large chunk of the working groups. These have to be replaced by
introducing machinery.
Our agricultural colleges should start inventing so well stated by Mr Khosla. If
Israel can talk of precision farming through the use of GIS, drones and
satellites can we also not think of introducing them in the mountains of
India.Just a few examples. There aren three boys with me from Nagaland who
are inventors and have brought innovations to the farming community
Modernise our post harvest technology of transport, storage, marketing and
processing. Technologies are available elsewhere, we don’t have to reinvent.
We only need to bring them in. We will create employment.

Legalise : There is a need to address Legalise issues that either prevent capital
from coming in or to expand the scope of the educated to come back to

2
farming by helping to increase their land holdings.Land ownership size of
land for farming :

For this we need the youth : educated, innovative and techno savvy : modern
outlook. They can be the New Age farmers.
When on the subject of educated back to the land why can’t we start thinking of
Start ups, accelerator and incubation centres for the agriculturist?

Make farming in the mountains a matter of choice and not because of lack of
options.

Finally
Good Governance : Food security : The social security systems are good. But
we need Good Governance
Correct policies: Government of India : eg MOVCD (Mission on Organic
Value Chain
Overcoming the Marketing : Mafia :
Providing the infrastructure
New Age farmerswill need the best in terms of infrastructure.
CONNECTIVITY : Air : Digital
1. Education : Modernise by distance education
2. Health : Insurance : Helicopter :
Help to modernise as quickly as possible

Eleanor Roosevelt
Nobody can make you inferior unless you yourself want to feel so
In today’s technological world, the mountains are not, anymore, remote and
fragile.It is we, the people, who make it remote and fragile.
Role of the IMI