A webinar was organized by CARITAS INDIAs Climate Adaptive Agriculture and Food Sovereignty desk on June 18, 2020 titled Rebuilding rural economy to overcome challenges posed by COVID-19. The key objective of the Webinar was to understand the crisis faced by the farming community in the wake of COVID-19 and possible mitigation measures from a wider perspective. The panel comprised of eminent speakers from Agriculture University, NABARD and Civil society organizations and the audience representation was mostly from CARITAS INDIA programs, partners of CARITAS INDIA and from Civil Society organizations.

Fr. Paul Moonjely, Executive Director of CARITAS INDIA in his keynote speech told that farmers across the country are facing a very bad crisis and the impact has been largely disruptive. He added that the allied sectors like animal husbandry, horticulture etc. has also been affected badly. He cited that 3 million people have lost their jobs as a result of this pandemic. He told that farmers have no food and livelihood security now. As mitigation measures, he mentioned the need of reviving agri-business related ventures, linking farmers to the MNREGA schemes and emphasized the urgent need for reviving rural policies.

Fr. Jolly, AED of CARITAS INDIA in his context setting speech talked on the problems and challenges faced by the farming community across the country.

He mentioned that farmers are not able to arrange their inputs for the kharif season which is a matter of worries. He told that farmers have already lost most their rabi harvest of last year that’s why they do not have money to invest. As mitigation initiative he told that there is a need to revive farmers friendly agriculture policies and also strengthen the value chain and input arrangement through involvement of Farmers producers’ organizations. He wished all success to the WEBINAR.

Dr. D. K. Sahi in his technical session on the challenges and possible roadmap mentioned that farmers in the country who are feeding us is now in deep crisis. They do not have money, food and no reserve to start their agriculture operations for the kharif season. He told that already they faced a major loss for the rabi season. As mitigation measures, he emphasized on creating more job opportunities for people, link majority of people to the benefits of Govt schemes, notably MGNREGA. He also told that more farmers collectives need to be promoted which will help farmers to take charge of their input business and aggregation of their produce.

Mr. Goutam Sen General Manager, NABARD West Bengal region in his session on NABARDS experience emphasized that agriculture not alone is going to help, there is a need to strengthen allied sectors too for increasing farmers income. He mentioned about NABARDs key programs on promoting farmers producer’s organization for aggregation of the produce and collective input and output management for increasing income which is a need of the hour to revive marketing issue. He also mentioned about NABARDs WADI programs and watershed Development programs which could be taken up to create tangible assets at community level and enhancing income of the farmers.

Mr. Anshuman Das Program Manager of WHH, West Bengal region in his speech on reviving local food and agriculture systems mentioned that it’s an unprecedented crisis that farmers are facing. He told that small and marginal farmers are the hardest hit by this. He emphasized the need for greater food support for each family through Govt. support, greater support to farmers through Govt schemes and enhanced access, also strategies like forming grain, food bank etc. along with farmers producer’s organization.

Dr. Haridas VR, Head of the climate Desk of CI, shared the key findings of the rapid research undertaken by CI. He informed that the report once finalized and approved by the management will be available for all.

This was followed by sharing from two regional forum Directors of MP and Jharkhand. In their speech they emphasized the need for strengthening localized agriculture and innovations, urgent need for forming more farmers producers’ organizations and undertaking input and other business management. They also told the need for mapping of skillset for the returnees and initiate small entrepreneurships.

Mr. Rajesh Upadhyay HOD CARITAS INDIA summarized the discussion points of the webinar. He mentioned key action points which are maximized access to the benefit of MNREGA, need for mapping the skill and entrepreneurship development, creation of water resource development as an important asset for increasing production and wage earning,  formation and strengthening of more farmers collectives to manage input business and enhance income, also establish food, seed and fodder reserve in the villages. He also told that allied agriculture measures also need to take up to boost income.