Onion farmers in Maharashtra are facing losses as the selling price of the staple has dropped to an all-time low, hovering at Rs 9-11 per kilogram. The farmers have demanded the average price be increased at least to Rs 20-22 to overcome the expenses in growing the produce. The most shocking thing among all this is
“It costs Rs 50,000 to grow one-acre onion”
Rajendra Tukaram Chavan, an onion farmer from Maharashtra’s Solapur, was left with a net profit of Rs 2.49 after selling 512 kg onions at Solapur Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC).
As per study, Family-owned farms make up around four fifths of Earth’s farmland and are responsible for over 80% of global food production in value terms.
Despite producing much of what we eat – paradoxically – family farmers, many operating on a small scale, face hunger and poverty, especially in developing countries like India.
Being in a race all towards achieving our goals, we have been totally blindfolded towards such issues. The root from where we belong is been totally neglected by us. We need to focus on, what we can do for our farmers rather than focusing on what our farmers need to do for us!
So here the question arises, WHAT WE CAN DO?
Here’s the solution, we can make use of technology as a game changer for farmer’s family.
Technology strengthens all four dimensions of food security – availability, access, utilization and stability, according to experts.
Genetic modification, for instance, can increase food supply by speeding up the process of creating new varieties with desired traits.
Agro-processing technologies reduce post-harvest losses and improve the quality of processed products, making food more accessible.
Biofortification, known for improving nutrition, helps mitigate human micronutrient deficiency.
Drones and satellites, used for territory surveillance, mapping and crop health monitoring, contribute to more stable agriculture production.