Energon
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One of the biggest tragedies in Indian agriculture has been the misplaced glorification of the untenable Socialistic model where the government is handed the responsibility to divert (already deficient) funds and go to all sorts of lengths to "help" the farmers, the true sons of the soil. Obviously this policy has failed in the past, isn't really working now, and will more than likely continue to fail. The truth of the matter is that other than a few selected areas in the Gangetic plains (that haven't been wrecked through salinity) and other handful of areas growing certain highly desirable cash crops, by and large all agriculture in India is producing way below par; mostly because it's outdated. This whole son of the soil "kissaan" icon is nothing more than a glorified political tool for dhoti clad paan chewing politicians to get votes (and then default on their "promises").This all boils down to govt support(besides farming skills) Punjab/Haryana have access to electricity, good quality seeds, land holdings are bigger and clubbed (tractors and other machinery can be used etc), Credit access is Good, Plenty of Cheap electricity and water available and sympathetic govt which partially guarantees bailouts...
Agriculture in today's world is a highly competitive arena that relies upon high tech methodology in conjunction with proficient supportive systems (such as appropriate transport, cold chains etc) and most of all aggressive marketing strategies. Indian farmers just aren't equipped to handle this, which is why they fall prey to nefarious middle men, corrupt/inept politicians, predetory corporations and superior competition from abroad. Rural India also suffers a great deal from a variety of social problems on account of lack of enlightenment, indulgence in archaic and cruel social norms. All of this in combination with the overall absence of decent governance, rampant corruption and injustice has essentially turned rural India into a ticking time bomb and served as the perfect platform for random communal violence and counterproductive violent organizations like the Naxalites.
I was reading some articles about the Vidharba farmers and was surprised to learn that the highly desirable BT cotton seeds don't really provide the advertised advantages given that the strain was designed specifically for the soil in Missouri, Georgia and Alabama (cotton states) of the USA which as it turns out is very different from that of eastern Maharashtra. Also, social problems such as dowry, gambling and poor financial decision making are big contributors to the farmer suicides.
As far as I can see, education is by far the best tool to combat most of these problems. Now I'm not saying that the strategies you mentioned are wrong; if done properly they would work. But like it or not, the Indian government just isn't proficient at organizing, managing and executing mass programs. Also, the stark reality is that for a number of reasons socialistic policies just don't work like they're supposed to in India; mostly because Indians inherently are some of the world's most capitalistic people, and personally I think that nations ought to play to their strengths, not delude themselves with ideologies that are unrealistic. In India, the part of the population who is most aware, holds influence, has high economic impact and makes their voice heard reaps massive benefits; whereas the ones who don't, get left behind and find themselves disenfranchised waiting and hoping for the government to come to their aid (and remain waiting). The level of education is one of the most important factors when it comes to effective organization and trade management. The farming community should be a self sustaining one whereby they are able to analyze and understand each and every portion of their dynamic and complex trade and make necessary upgrades to keep at par with their counterparts around the world. Don't you think it's weird that in a country of a billion where over 70% of the population survives off agriculture, that in many parts the methodology of this craft hasn't really changed much in over 2 thousand years? One bad monsoon season and hundreds of millions of lives are driven to ruin. Agriculture has to evolve, and this change has to come from within; and education is the only thing that can truly enable this evolution.