Whiletherehavebeenconsistentreportsoffarmerscommittingsuicidesinseveralpartsofthe countryprimarilybecauseoftheirinabilitytopaydebtsforhighendfarmingresources,there isalsotheemergingfacetoftheIndianfarmersthistimearound.Interestingly,manyfarmers arebreakingawayfromtheirbondagewiththesocietyasmeresuppliersandnoware becomingtheirownmastersintermsofadoptingfarmerentrepreneurship. OnonehandtherehasbeenagrowinginitiativeonthepartofinstituteslikeIARI(Indian AgriculturalResearchInstitute,alsocalledPusaInstitute)thathasledthefarmerstoturnover anewleafbybecomingmoreenterprising.Andthiswasnottohappeninajiffy.Theyhadto createawareness,involvethefarmersinproducingseedsgerminatingintocropvarieties,and aboveallimprovetheavailabilityofqualityseedwhiledisseminatingthenecessaryskillsand technology.Andthissortofinitiativehasboostedthefarmerstomakeseedproductiona lucrativebusinessandenrichtheirownlives. Interestingly,however,suchprogrammeshavewidelybeenextendedinthenorthernstatesof thecountry.MajorityofthenorthernstateslikeHaryana,UttarPradeshandRajasthan,have benefitedfromtheinitiative.Thefarmershavebeenprovidedoverallguidanceateverystage.

Andallthismentoringisdonefreewithsomeinitialpaymentandroyaltyfromprivateseed companieswithwhomIARIsignedMoUsandentailingwhichthecompanieshelpmultiplying thePusavarietyseeds.Andasaresulttheparticipatingfarmersaugmentedthetotaloutputof Pusacropvarietyseedsfromnearly5000quintalsin200506toover11000quintalsin2009 10,asreportedelsewhere. OntheotherhandswehavestoriesofmenlikeDyaneshwarBodkewhoquittheirregularjobs andtheprimesourceofincomeaftertheirnewfoundinterestinfarmingespeciallyashewas inspiredbyyetanotherfarmerinSangliwhomadeRs.12lakhayearsimplybygrowing carnations.Dyaneshwarsinitiativeblossomedsowellthatnowhisfarminghasgrownintoa producingcompanythatgrowsandexportsexoticflowersandfruits. Theseinstancesshowthatthereisanemergingsegmentofeducatedfarmerswhose entrepreneurialinclinationshavebeenbroughttotheattentionofthegovernmental authoritiestoformulatepoliciesandlayguidelinessoastoenablemenlikeBodkeandother farmerstofollowtheirdreams.AndindeedtheNationalBankforAgricultureandRural Development(Nabard)havehelpedBodkesinitiativeandbodieslikeSmallFarmersAgri BusinessConsortium(SFAC)haveidentifiedtheurgencytopromoteagriculturalproducer companiesandplanstosetupmore250companiesaroundthecountryinnearfuture. Nowwhatdowelearnhere?Itdoessoundlikeagooddeviationfromthesuicidalstoriesof ourfarmerbrothers.Butthishasbeenmadepossibleonlybysomesolidbackingwhowere instrumentalincoachingthefarmers,thesupportingcompanies,andmoresotheenthusiasm

ofthefarmerstoo.Butthelightisyettobepassedontoourbrothersinrestpartsofthe country.Butthisistohappensoon,themovementmustmarchasarenaissanceandsavethe foodprovidersbeforetheytakeawaytheirownlivesforonce. Seemoreat:http://www.nuziveeduseeds.com/blog/