Kisan Podcast 2020-21

In this final episode of the Kisan Podcast Amaan Bali and I have a conversation about the journey of the Kisan Protests, we discuss some ideas for future agricultural reform, reiterate the structural problems and briefly talk about the viability of often proposed ‘solutions’ such as organic farming. (Note: this is a recording from a casual conversation we had on Clubhouse, the audio is as provided by them).

In this episode Amaan and I discuss women’s participation and leadership in Kisan politics, the pro-urban bias in India’s development and how the farmer’s movement has revitalised bottom-up democracy in the country.

Amaan and I discuss the deeper problems in the agriculture sector in India, some potential solutions and why they haven’t been implemented; with some updates on the current protests.

I speak with Amaan (@amaanbali) about the proceedings in the Supreme Court today, with discussion on positions of each side and possible outcomes even as we anticipate tomorrow’s session.

As we look forward to the January 4 meeting, Amaan and I discuss the state of the protests, possible future trajectories and most importantly, the role of Sikh philosophy in this movement, while touching on themes of anti-Sikh propaganda.

I speak with Amaan about the Green Revolution, how it destroyed Punjab’s indigenous cropping patterns and how attempts at diversification since the 90s, with experiments in Contract Farming, have largely failed but still offer some critical lessons.

I speak with Prasan (@dhanuraashi) about the transformation of agriculture in the United States, where household farms gradually got trapped in endless cycles of debt in the 20th century leading to rural devastation.

I speak with Amaan about the necessity of Minimum Support Price and how an honest implementation of reforms proposed by the Swaminathan Commission can revive agriculture and bring rural prosperity.

I speak with Amaan (@amaanbali) about the government’s proposed amendments to the agriculture laws and the reasons for Kisan Unions’ insistence on total repeal, to draft and enact new laws.

I speak with Amaan regarding the trajectory of negotiations between the government and farmers, discussing why farmers are insistent on repealing the laws, with a detailed analysis of stubble burning and some talk on hate speech.