What is farming — Biz or Charity?

Occupation (for-profit) or welfare/charity (non-profit)?

This is the question which started a long conversation with my friend over Whatsapp.

Why does it matter? Everything depends on the answer. If it’s Occupation, you can tax them for the revenue, likewise you can insure them so they can land safe in times of tragedy. Or if its a welfare, government can take it or some NGOs can chip in with funding from benevolent sponsors.

He argues that the farmers revenue should be tax-exempted, as this is not an occupation but a welfare. Yet, he wants to increase the buying price of their end-goods (this is decided by government for sugarcane, paddy et al). The reason to increase the buying price is the farmers community should prosper. Also, his argument is that the farmers are the one feeding the entire population. If we categorize them as business then food production will be impacted.

I’m not from a farming background. My parents and their generation stayed miles away from farming field. Yet, I want to try answer the question.

Before trying to answer it, what is its future?

Agriculture is the future. With exploding population, you need to grow food for all the hungry mouths. India being a land of largest farming-friendly plains, what are the problems faced by farmers?

Lack of Modern infrastructure, Scientific-approach and Resource management.

How can you do that? With huge investment.

Can a welfare organization attaract a huge capital? No. No one wants to donate money for charity.

What if its a business? It can attract humongous investment. We have modernized many industries in past and increased its efficiency manifolds with help of science.

But, he is sternly disagreeing to accept these investments. Reason being the corporates which would invest money could exploit the farmers. Monopoly might kill the diversity of year old practice. This could happen we cant deny it. But we can keep it under control by strict regulations.

All this can be possible only if we find an answer. Is it business or welfare?

PS: This was originally published in Medium, on Feb 25, 2018.

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