The post-monsoon showers have left a trail of destruction, leaving the farming community with heavy losses and dealing a telling blow on paddy cultivation. The tail end of the season has been devastating for the past four years and brings into sharp focus climate unpredictability and lack of adequate support. In an age where Swayampurna Goa has been the slogan, paddy cultivation is dying a slow death.
The unseasonal rains that have ravaged the state over the past two weeks have obliterated thousands of hectares of rice fields and have, at the same time, uncovered the fragile nature of the agricultural framework, leaving many questions wide open.
Firstly, the extent of the devastation of the crops is terrifying. From Pernem to Bardez and Bicholim to Canacona, agricultural lands have been ravaged by floods when they were ready to be harvested. As a matter of fact, Bardez alone experienced the destruction of almost 40 per cent of the crops. An estimated 200 hectares of paddy fields in Pernem taluka and 380 hectares in Bicholim taluka were damaged, with preliminary estimates of the Agriculture Director pegging the loss to around Rs 2 crore. In some cases, paddy that was harvested and stored has germinated, rendering it unusable. The massive destruction that is repeating itself year after year indicates that things are getting worse.
The government may argue that farmers are compensated. The issue is that compensation does not solve the problem. It is worth mentioning here that the compensation of Rs 40,000 per hectare does not suffice when compared to the real costs of production, which is stated to be between Rs 70,000 and Rs 1,00,000 per hectare. This disparity causes the financial plight of the farmers to aggravate, prompting them to give up traditional rice farming.
Furthermore, while Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s swift announcement of compensation is welcome, the bureaucratic delays in the release of relief are a constant point of concern. Last year, over 2,500 farmers from across the State who sought compensation for damage inflicted due to the July flooding had to wait till September. The wait was longer in previous years.
Thirdly, the emergent issue uncovered by the crisis is that of global warming affecting traditional agriculture in Goa. More severe years' pattern of erratic monsoons, unseasonal rains, and flooding is, to say the least, no longer a rare event but a constant reality. Specialists suggest the adoption of weather-resistant measures. One may argue that the State can do very little in a scenario where the weather unleashes its fury. While certainly Goa may not hold the key to weather patterns, but it could understand the areas it can control. While reducing carbon footprints and adopting a greener approach are broader concepts that are required, the State also needs to adapt to monsoon-resilient paddy, or paddy that can withstand climate shocks.
While farming is slowly adapting to mechanisation, there are vast areas where manual labour is being deployed. As the environment becomes increasingly strained, the age-old systems must be modernized with the help of tractors, transplanters, drainage systems, and newer technologies. On top of that, the emotional and mental health of farmers is another matter that needs attention. Farmers have spoken of despair, frustration, and feelings of being betrayed. These are not good signs. While the government's overall support to agriculture is commendable, a lot needs to be done if it is genuinely pursuing the goal of self-sufficiency. A lot needs to change, in fact.
There is so much of heritage and identity associated with paddy farming. The rural landscape of Goa would be incomplete without it. The moment to take action has come; otherwise, our sacred rice fields could turn into a memory of the past.
