In the years of 2020 to 2021, there was a battle raging over just how free market India’s economy should become. In September 2020 the Parliament of India had passed three farm acts. India has seen largest farmer protest of the modern history, where, tens of thousands of farmers across the country were demanding, that the government should revoke this series of reforms that will change India’s agricultural sector.

Agriculture and allied sectors by far are the largest employer in India providing employment to more than 50% of the population and accounting for 17.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). India is the world’s largest producer of many fresh fruits, spices, jute, oil seeds and food staples like, rice or wheat. For decades, the government has shielded farmers from the free market by providing price supports on some crops, running wholesale markets where farmers can sell their goods on Minimum Selling Price (MSP), and rounding up buyers to guarantee sales. But when, the government planned to take a step back, with the hopes that the free market will boost an industry that has stagnated over time, farmers fear they’ll get the raw end of the deal, even if the free market helps the overall economy.

History of Agriculture in India

Agriculture has been an integral part of the Indian Economy, both in before and after Independence periods of India. In the Colonial British Era, agriculture was the only means of subsistence, as more than 85% of the Indian population was dependent on agriculture. Majority Indian peasants lived in poor conditions, due to scarcity of agricultural resources, dependency on unpredictable Monsoons for irrigation, Zamindari System and the taxes imposed by British Raj. This period is marked by several farmer protests in different parts of the country.

After independence, India adopted significant policy reforms in the National Five Year Plans, focusing on the goal of food grain self-sufficiency. It began with Several land reforms, adopting superior yielding, disease resistant crop varieties in combination with better farming knowledge and mechanization to improve productivity. A well-planned irrigation infrastructure was developed, that included a network of major and minor canals from rivers, groundwater well-based systems, tanks, and other rainwater harvesting projects for agricultural activities. This ushered in India’s Green Revolution. The states of Punjab and Haryana, led India’s green revolution and earned the distinction of being the country’s breadbasket.

The Farm Acts

1. Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020
   1. expands the scope of trade areas of farmers’ produce from select areas to “any place of production, collection, aggregation”.
   1. allows electronic trading and e-commerce of scheduled farmers’ produce.
   1. prohibits state governments from levying any market fee, cess, or levy on farmers, traders, and electronic trading platforms for the trade of farmers’ produce conducted in an ‘outside trade area’.
2. Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020
   1. provides a legal framework for farmers to enter into pre-arranged contracts with buyers including mention of pricing.
   1. defines a dispute resolution mechanism.
3. Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020
   1. removes foodstuff such as cereals, pulses, potato, onions, edible oilseeds, and oils, from the list of essential commodities, removing stockholding limits on agricultural items produced by Horticulture techniques except under “extraordinary circumstances”
   1. requires that imposition of any stock limit on agricultural produce only occur if there is a steep price rise.

Farmers Protest

Soon after the acts were introduced, unions began holding local protests, mostly in Punjab and Haryana. The methods of protest were Gherao, Dharna, Raasta roko, Demonstration, Suicide. A movement named Dili Chalo began, in which tens of thousands of farming union members marched towards the nation’s capital. The Indian government ordered the police and law enforcement of various states to stop the protesters using water cannons, batons, and tear gas to prevent the farmer unions from entering into Delhi. Various domestic and international NGOs supported the protesters by providing temporary shelters, food and healthcare services. Numerous deaths and fatalities were caused during the protest. All talks between farmers and central government to agree on common grounds remain inconclusive. The Supreme Court of India put a stay on the implementation of the farm laws in January 2021. Farmer leaders cheered and welcomed the stay order

End of the Protests

In late November 2021 the Modi administrators finally repealed the All three farm bills. Hundreds of farmers danced and celebrated the victory, they began removing roadblocks and dismantling thousands of makeshift homes along major highways. The protest was finally declared to be over and the farmers started returning to their homes happily.