Contents

Preface
I. Introduction
II. Craze for Land
III. An Over View
IV: Stages of Agricultural Economy
V. Land in the Agricultural Sector
VI. Conclusion

Preface

There is a craze in everyone in India as well as in other countries also to have a piece of land in his name whether for agriculture for any other purpose. But the question is whether land is an asset or liability. This question is more relevant when land is used for agriculture and allied purposes. In the present situation land is an asset when it is used for non-agricultural purposes, but a liability when it is used for agricultural purposes. Therefore those who cultivate the land are cultivating always at a loss. This booklet analyses the natural, human and the economic aspects of land use for agricultural purposes. (Dr. K. T. Chandy, Agricultural & Environmental Education)

I. Introduction

Recently British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in a news telecast while showing some farmers harvesting in North Dakota, USA, announced, "These farmers are harvesting their last crop in their life, They are moving out of their farms; because farming is no more paying," These are American farmers who have been cultivating large- acreage under sub- stantial subsidy programme from the US government, It is reported in another news broad cast by Voice of America that several hundreds of farmers in the United States of America are leaving the farm sector every year in spite of the substantial support they get from the government.

Sallie is the case in most of the European countries. Many farmers in India especially in Kerala are leaving their paddy fields fallow or filling them to be used for some other purposes, Several farmers who visited the Kissan Mela at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, in 1998, asked the staff of the Programme for Agricultural Education, to suggest some other cash crops for them to grow instead of the paddy and wheat; because they are realizing that such crops are no more profitable.

People are beginning to realize that farming for livelihood is a losing proposition. Having land in one's name is highly desirable. But to cultivate them for by oneself for one's own livelihood ends with harvesting irredeemable debt every year instead of harvesting a good crop. The question needs to be squarely faced by every owner-cultivator is the land, is it an asset or a liability? But in every human being there is an insatiable craze for land.

II. Craze for Land

From time immemorial land has been the critical space for man's operations in nature. Scripture says,"You are dust and to dust you shall return." Though this is a religious saying it is scientifically true also. Every element in the human body has come from the earth and at the end of his life every element in his body goes back to the earth. Land is a portion of the earth on which he physically moves around and from which he derives all the nourishment for his life. It is the space for him to exist and to operate and without this space he cannot exist. Therefore there is an intimate relationship between man and the land. This intimacy with the land is expressed in his craze for the land.

All over the world from the beginning of the history man has been struggling for the land. Most of the wars in the world have been fought for the land either directly or indirectly. Even today people are fighting for land. About 75% of the cases in the Indian courts are land related. Some of them last so long that several generations go on fighting cases in the court.

"Land for the landless" is a very catchy jargon which people use to rally the landless around them. To the landless land is something which they are eagerly craving for and struggle for. The author knows hundreds of NGOs and political activists struggling many years to get some land for the poor and landless. Similarly the landless people spend all their life to get a piece of land in their name. Finally they die in their fight and craze for the land.

There are millions and millions of people in this country who are struggling for agricultural land and many people think landlessness is a big problem for the poor. The poor also think that landlessness is the biggest problem in their life. The point here is that there is a craze in every one's mind for land and they live with it till they die.