Take a reverse: Devinder Sharma's call to policy makers

For the first time I saw Devinder Sharma on 5th of October. Thanks to the international eco-meet, ECOCASD 2013 that brought the great personality to Thiruvananthapuram. The acclaimed food policy analyst, writer and thinker was there to give valedictory address. Over five hundred delegates were eagerly waiting to hear from him on the essentials that a country like India need for saving ecosystem and continuing with sustainable development. To my fortune I got an opportunity to chat with the erudite scholar in forenoon itself.

Having a towering image in the sphere of world’s paradigms on biodiversity, agriculture and food security, Mr. Sharma would grab anybody’s heart by being down to earth. He is clear in words and firm in opinions. Following is a gist coined out of a brief, but enjoyable chat with the generous thinker and activist. 

Food security? Is it surplus food, cheep food or optimum food? All are incorrect. Food security is actually availability of food for all at all times of need. 

Needed for countries like India? It is high time to have a strong policy shift at the apex. The policy makers should take a positive deviation from the existing routes to effect better changes at the grassroots. This can alone bring in progress in the areas of agriculture and food production. 

What is the existing paradigm? Today the world is driven by the motto of economic growth and technicalities of GDP. These could never value the importance of ecosystem conservation. This conference (ECOCASD 2013) is upholding the theme of ecosystem conservation and sustainable development. I would say, the realization of sustainable development through ecosystem conservation can be made only with a paradigm shift at the top. Today is of prolific exploitation of the natural resources. Natural resources should be seen not as a commodity as is being done today. 

Salient features of ‘economic growth’ model? Conspicuous feature in India is that more rural people are prompted to drift to the urban for making a living. Industry is given priority and agriculture is discarded. This leads to the death of our age old village agricultural systems. We need a reverse of the system. People should be encouraged to remain in their villages for pursuing the farming. Gandhiji’s preaching of ‘production system by the mass and not for the mass’ was significant at this juncture. Refugee mentality of a government serving food to its people can be replaced only through adopting the path shown by Gandhiji, where people love doing agriculture and produce the food needed for them.

Then world regulations? It’s interesting. US farming bill of 2013 provides 307 billion dollars of subsidy to its farmers. Fact being this, it is ironical that the WTO pressure countries like India to cut farmer subsidy. Tomorrow (06 Oct) the chief of WTO is visiting India with an objective of the above said and many. Pressure is persistent. 

Leaders like you voice time and again. Do you see any impact over authorities? Sure. There is change. In front of such persuasive demands as we do, they cannot simply act blind. For example the chief of the UN, Ban Ki-moon has called for a rethinking over the effectiveness of existing policies. How could they not make a retrospective since the truth remains radiant that even after long span of economic growth race, majority of problems could not be solved including poverty and gap between the poor and the rich. 

While concluding the chat, with a captivating smile Mr. Sharma reminded Laxmi Presanna a leading journalist who was there, not to forget writing on the possible aftermaths of the next day’s visit of the WTO chief.