That is because today, other economies are growing. Yes, contribution of agriculture has come down to less than 20% for the first time. That is also alright because we have diversified our economy. That is not the problem.

The problem is, the number of people dependant on agriculture has not gone down. It has increased. There are 70 crore (700 million) people who are in agriculture who receive 20% of the GDP.

Some economists say as the economy grows, the share of agriculture in the economy goes down.

Suppose the contribution of agriculture is one lakh crores, out of 55 lakh crores or 20 lakh crores, then, you will have a higher percentage. If the contribution is one lakh crores out of 100,000 lakh crores, it becomes very small.

Economists also say that like in the developed countries, the share of agriculture should go down below 4%. Do you agree?

I don't agree. The main point in my view is, there are two needs. One is to have more productivity of small farms. Over 85% of farms are very small; 1 acre, 2 acres.

Secondly, you must have more people in the non-farm sector which means agro-processing, agro-business, etc. So, on one hand, you need small farm management revolution, and on the other, you require an agri-business revolution; one on the production side and another on the post harvest side.

Unless this happens, marginalisation of farmers will continue.

Some economists say farmers should move from farming to manufacturing...

Economists say many such things. If you want 50 crore small farmers to quit farming, where are the jobs in the non-farm sector?

You are against converting farm land as Special Economic Zones. You speak about Special Agricultural Zones, SAZ. Those in favour of SEZ say they are creating jobs. Do you agree with that argument?

Before they create the zones, let them publish a livelihood impact statement. The land of so many farmers has been taken away; they have not been properly rehabilitated. These people say they are given Rs 5 lakh per acre or Rs 2 lakhs per acre, but what does the small farmer do? Part of the money will be lost in drinking, part of it will go to settling their debts, and in a year, they become landless labour.

If this country has 50 crores of landless labour, then even God cannot save it.

Image: In this photograph taken April 18, 2006 at Yavatmal outside Nagpur, Pranali, Seema, Ruchali and Kajol, the four daughters of 35-year-old cotton farmer Neelkhant Haste mourn his death. Haste committed suicide by consuming pesticide. Desperate and debt-ridden with loan sharks demanding up to 120 percent annual interest, the failed harvests and tumbling prices have driven businesses to the wall and farmers to suicide. Officials confirm that the deaths are increasing at a faster rate than ever before in a country already with the second highest suicide rate in the region, according to the World Health Organisation.
Photograph: Sebastian D'Souza/AFP/Getty Images

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