At a time when protests have pushed farmers out of the periphery of news media, it is important to dispel misconceptions about the Indian countryside. Bangalore International Centre organized ‘Myths about Rural India: Indian Agriculture Demystified’, a session moderated by FAS Director Sandipan Baksi. The discussion had three presentations:

1. “The Three Farm Bills: Separating the Chaff from the Grain” by R. Ramakumar

2. “Farming is a viable occupation” by Aparajita Bakshi

3. “The archetypal Indian farmer is a man” by Madhura Swaminathan

R. Ramakumar challenged the proposition that the new farm bills will benefit the farmers, or the agricultural economy in India. He provided a brief history of agriculture post-independence, and spoke on the adverse effects of liberalisation on farmers. He also emphasized the need for better regulation of existing laws, and of grievance redressal mechanisms for farmers.

Aparajita Bakshi debunked the notion that farming in India is profitable. She elaborated on how the majority of farmers in India are engaged in small-scale farming. She underlined the fact that for the bottom 60% of agricultural households in India, average levels of income are lower than their average consumption expenditure. She argued that the private sector will not address these problems.

FAS Trustee Madhura Swaminathan spoke on the necessity to shift away from the idea that women in India are not farmers. She raised concerns over the low levels of land ownership for women. She used FAS time-use data to show that women in rural India are deeply involved in varied forms of paid and unpaid work. She highlighted the need for revisiting the official definitions and measure of women’s work.

Watch the recording of this event to debunk popular myths about rural India: