Dynamics of Agricultural Marginalization in Emergent Rural Economy: A Study in South Bihar

Abstract

To a large extent, present rural crisis in different parts of India is an outcome of stagnation in agriculture. Based upon an intensive study of a large multi-caste village in south Bihar, the article argues that four factors, the spatial organization of agricultural land at the micro-level in the rain-fed area, whereas only a fourth arable land of a village has certainty of agricultural production; breaking off traditional social and technological arrangements in agriculture, which has led to cash-induced agricultural activities; the differentiation of farmers between the rich and poor, making it difficult for small farmers to compete with big farmers for limited natural and human resources required in agriculture; and lastly but perhaps most importantly, non-agricultural activities becoming more and more profitable and risk free, thus tilting the balance against agricultural sector in overall economic landscape, are responsible for marginalization of agriculture. In rain-fed areas where agriculture to a large extent is dependent upon natural rainfall, and good harvest is more an exception than the rule; only those farmers who own substantial landholding and are capable to cope with exigencies in agriculture can engage in farming. The medium and small farmers without any non-agricultural income have very little chance to absorb the losses occurring due to even one year of crop failure. As agriculture is becoming less attractive as an enterprise and people are migrating to urban centres, more and more land is coming into forced tenancy. But neither the landlords nor the tenants are willing to invest in agriculture as they can earn more by working somewhere else in non-agricultural sector. The forced exodus from agriculture has brought people in contact with other economic activities and the nature of non-agricultural economic activities is such that they are better off economically. For the state what matters is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and for the people what matters is money. Both seem to be happy with the present economic arrangement. However, this development has come at the heavy cost of physical, metal and moral deterioration and has sociologically led to distress in family and community life. Any planning or strategy to solve agricultural crisis must take into account these factors.