Punjab Reaps A Poisoned Harvest (bbc Report)

[dalsingh101]

Punjab reaps a poisoned harvest

By David Loyn

BBC News, Punjab

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from...ent/7366899.stm

The governments of many poor nations are alarmed at the rise in food prices. There are even problems in the Indian region of Punjab, where science once seemed to have found answers for a hungry world.

Wheat crops in India

The Green Revolution made the Punjab, India's richest farmland

The first thing Satpal Singh sees when he walks out of his bedroom door in the morning is a gleaming tractor, without a speck of mud on it.

It is given pride of place and washed down before being put away for the night in its garage built into the middle of his house.

This is a sign of the wealth that has made this the richest farmland in India.

In Mr Singh's front yard, half a dozen cows chew contentedly on a maize-based mix, processed in his own machine in the corner.

But behind this idyll serious questions are being asked about farming practices in Punjab, which have consequences for the looming crisis in world food supplies.

(Continued)

[ghorandhar]

Punjab reaps a poisoned harvest

By David Loyn

BBC News, Punjab

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from...ent/7366899.stm

The governments of many poor nations are alarmed at the rise in food prices. There are even problems in the Indian region of Punjab, where science once seemed to have found answers for a hungry world.

Wheat crops in India

The Green Revolution made the Punjab, India's richest farmland

The first thing Satpal Singh sees when he walks out of his bedroom door in the morning is a gleaming tractor, without a speck of mud on it.

It is given pride of place and washed down before being put away for the night in its garage built into the middle of his house.

This is a sign of the wealth that has made this the richest farmland in India.

In Mr Singh's front yard, half a dozen cows chew contentedly on a maize-based mix, processed in his own machine in the corner.

But behind this idyll serious questions are being asked about farming practices in Punjab, which have consequences for the looming crisis in world food supplies.

(Continued)

Veer DalSingh jee, thanks for sending this article.

Things are not looking good for punjab. These sprays are so bad, but what choice does the farmer have? And those masks are useless aswell. It does not matter if u have a mask or wrap cloth around your face, the spray is so stong. I can remember when I was doing it, I thought i was going to faint, the spray is just so strong. People are doing these sprays in 2s or 3s just in case one person falls. But what if we all fell :S . We also have to remember that the spray is in fields and people who live on a kooa (farm) are sarrounded by the spray. people who live in the pind are also near the spray.

To make matters worse is the rain falling in the wrong times. Or no rain in July/August. All over doaba fields were in a mess. The Goverment will not help the farmers, any money which is supposed to be given to farmers will end up in the pockets of the middle man.

We just have hope some solutions are found in Punjab and the Goverment does more to support farmers.

[Eshani]

No one cares only thing is more production more $.

Ground reality.

1)People think ground water will never end.

2)no impact of chemicals.

[sikhizindabad]

No one cares only thing is more production more $.

Ground reality.

1)People think ground water will never end.

2)no impact of chemicals.

People have slowly realize that our land & water resource is Punjab is dying out.

Check "Kheti Virasat Mission" They are promoting natural farming. Need of hour is to help farmer in getting slowly on their feet by help from abroad. Since Govt may not help in providing subsidy for such a move( They may give subsidy in fertilizers etc which help big corporate)

Many big companies that supply chemicals & pest control are threatening mission people to stop promoting natural farming. Punjab have only 1.5 % of land in India . But majority of fertilizers (50% plus) is placed in this 1.5% only. Saving land is very important now.Perhaps NRIs contribution for such mission will help farmers.

[dalsingh101]

I think the report says that people in general have no concept of organic farming and fail to use correct amounts of pesticides due to lack of understanding.

Sometimes I think Panjabis are so stuck in a sort of narrow world that they have little knowledge of things that are becoming global issues. I think maybe sparing use of pesticides and an understanding or promotion of organic farming is a must. Looking ahead, if global warming continues then the financial backbone of Punjab will be destroyed. We will then go from being one of the richest states to a poverty stricken one. Lack of central government investment and the general lack of interest by foreign investors may put us in serious jeopardy. Sikhs have suffered so much in last half century or so (Partition, 1984 etc.) I pray we do not have to go through more pain.

We seriously need alternative forms of revenue other than farming. I think this is why a modern global education is so important to the future of Punjab. Another thing that MUST stop is the hankar driven societal norms that pushes Punjabies to be as flash and wealth displaying as possible. It seems if we don't check ourselves, then God will force us to. All of the major paap like female foeticide will come back to our quom in karma. We need a real spiritual revolution again.