National Commission on Farmers Recommends Establishment of an Indian Trade Organisation

National Commission on Farmers (NCF) has recommended to the government to consider establishing an Indian Trade Organization (ITO) and its own boxes for domestic agricultural support on the model of WTO’s Blue, Green and Amber Boxes. This was stated by the Chairman of the Commission Prof.M.S.Swaminathan in Hyderabad today. Delivering a public lecture in the 93rd Indian Science Congress, he said, the Indian Trade Organization (ITO) can be a virtual organization, specializing in WTO affairs. It can serve as a brain and information bank for enabling Government to take informed and proactive decisions. He said, It can provide timely advice on potential, surplus and shortages in major Agricultural Commodities, by maintaining a trade watch. Prof. Swaminathan said, the proposed ITO should serve as a friend and guide to small farm families and should provide proactive advice and land use and crop planning. He said it should help to save resource poor families from the onslaught of the subsidy, technology and capital driven agri-businesss paradigm of OECD countries. For this purpose Prof. Swaminathan said, the proposed National Land use Advisory Service can function as an arm of ITO.

Prof. Swaminathan, who has submitted third report of the National Commission on Farmers to the Union Minister of Agriculture and Food on 29th December, 2005 said, the commission has proposed launch of the crop year of 2006-07 as the year of Agricultural Renewal Movement. He said this movement, may be launched on Baisaki Day (13 April 2006) with the support of State Governments, Farmers Organizations, Business and Industry, Academia, Civil Society Organizations, Panchayati Raj Institutions and Mass Media. He said the year should end with adoption by Parliament of a National Policy for Farmers. Prof. Swaminathan said commission will provide to Minister of Agriculture a draft National Policy of farmers in April, 2006 so that it can be widely discussed with farmers organizations during May-December 2006 and finally adopted before the 60th anniversary of our independence. He said since 70% of India’s population is rural, the year of Agricultural Renewal programme should be become a national movement.

Source : Ministry of Science & Technology
Date : January 04, 2006