Kisan Mazdoor Commission suggests FPO-type cooperative model to pool resources

Kisan Mazdoor Commission, a platform of various activists and organisations, on Tuesday released an agenda for the benefit of farmers and farm labourers and appealed political parties to incorporate those in their manifestoes. Though the executive summary has been released, the full report will take some more time, the leaders said.

According to the agenda, the right to pool resources for value addition and formation of local collectives such as Kisan Mazdoor Cooperatives (KMCs) or group enterprises be granted. Asked how is it different from farmer producer organisations (FPOs), Vijoo Krishnan said that while FPOs are being formed by corporates on the back of it, the KMCs will be real collective at the grassroots with participation of even landless farmers and farm labours as shareholders.

Among other recommendations mentioned in the agenda, the KMC has suggested to reopen cattle trade markets, to end stray cattle menace and to establish a National Commission for Fisheries to look after policy implementation, inter-State disputes, protection and promotion of the rights and entitlements of small-scale fishing communities.

Further, it has asked ICAR to withdraw from the agreements the top agriculture research body signed with Bayer, Amazon and other multinational companies. Besides, it also suggested extra budgetary resources be allocated to States from the 15th Finance Commission for raising the level of gross capital formation in agriculture as a percentage of GDP from the current level of 15.7 per cent to 30 per cent.

“Recognise women as farmers and grant them land rights, secure their tenancy rights over leased lands,” the group said in the agenda. It has recommended complete loan waiver for farmers.

The Kisan Mazdoor Commission also slammed the Haryana Police action against farmers protesting at the Shambhu border with Punjab.

The Haryana Police had allegedly lobbed tear gas shell on farmers in which several of them got injured their “Delhi Chalo” march was stopped from entering the states’ territory on the highway. Since last month farmers have been on protest demanding legal guarantee of minimum support price as well as implementation of Swaminathan Commission’s formula on MSP.