Real Voice of Rural

Economy- A way forwarding and path

breaking attempt on Employment

Supplementation and Income Generation for

Sustainability and Inclusiveness in rural

A. Muthuvezhappan, IES

vezhappan@gmail.com

Mob 91+9444927111

The Humming Voice Of Birds,

Cladding Of Darkness, Endless Barking Of

Dogs, Noising Frogs In The Light, Fluttering

Bats, Twinkling Of Morning Star, Whistling Of

Moring Breeze, Elegant Of Raising Sun,

Melting Dew, Crowing Rooster, Crawling Of

Peasant, Dancing Of Duck, Smiling Petals,

Flattering Of Grass, Awakening Of Rural Life,

Shepherd's Hooting Cries, Plashing Of Water By

The Youth In The River, Tilling Of Soil By

Ploughman With The Hope Of Raining, Curling

Smoke From Cooking In The Back Yard,

Feeding Womenfolk, Resting Of Countrymen

Under The Tree, The Remembrance Of

Harvesting , Returning Home With Little Stuff,

Early Sleep, Snoring Sound, Buzzing Silence Of

Light Are The Real Rural Voice.

Sound Of Tears Rolling On The Temple, Dried

Unveil Smiles, Tattered Clothes, Crying Children For Food, Sucking Child For Dried Milk,

Morning Wake To The Land With Half Naked

Body, Chipping Soil Under The Heat, Pathos

Of Power, Empty Stomach, Youth Returning From Town With Empty Life, Silent Suicides, Ineptness, Hunting By Rich For Property,

Rural Indebtedness, Weaning Of Rural Economy Are Yet Another Reality Of Rural Life

Rural areas in the country still remain as a virgin ground for exploitation / hunting of the poor by urban affluent. Harp on agriculture is getting depleted owing to the global warming and the consequent change in climatic conditions with the result the agriculturists are confronted with erratic water sources, succumbed to hardness and unsecured life system for undertaking their agricultural operations.

It is further noticed that large scale conversions of agricultural lands are taking place for non agriculture purposes by the unscrupulous real estate mafia who placed even the modern farmers come in their clutches. The land mafia, the affluent segment of the society cause social evils and resorts in unscrupulous financial lending and distracts the poor farmers and land holders of the rural areas. The feudalistic attitude of the affluent ensured that poverty remained as such from time immemorial. The village based small farmers whose meager income from agricultural operations is insufficient to meet their ends of survival.

The present plaque and picture of rural economy is the result of age

old underpinning and underperforming agricultural operations on one side and non-affordability and assault on rural economy with the aggressive agricultural operations coupled with extensive application of fertilizers and pesticides under cover of modernization and

mass production. Undertaking integrated farming operations by the corporate community on a sporadic scale exploited the rural economy causing uncertainties, perpetual poverty, and misery crippling effect on the rural economy.

What shall be retained by the present

society for the future generation?

There are flex and perplexities on chasing food with a handful of money and material by the modern younger generation. Rural areas are still the “only” nerve centre for human survival and acts as an accommodating ground for human survival. The present generation failed miserably to understand and adjust with the ‘life style’ in tune with the fast ‘changing and challenging’ rural life for enduring a unique survival. Further, an authoritarian style has crept in and the young generation needs a thorough appraisal about the impact of cultural erosion, resource depletion and eruption of rural-urban discrimination. The mankind is poised for self-destruction in view of the fact that they are unwilling to preserve anything for the future. Although a large number of innovative and inventive steps have been taken and are being implemented, the results have not percolated down to the rural masses and the state of their economy is still a nightmare lacking vigor and strength.

Rural Scenario

Most of the rural people are illiterate and innocent living outside the mainstream of socio-economic

progress mainly due to isolated and ad-hoc

attempts on rural development. Poverty alleviation steps have not at all been effective. It is high time that steps be taken to mitigate their suffering. The life survival supporting system is still dependent on agriculture. The presence of artisan type industrial ventures is having loose ends. Fast erosion of the age old heritage of

village culture and socio–economic structure is taking place mainly due to the media impact and aggressive rural opening has created new hypes and paved the way for less attention of the age old agricultural operation. Crippling effects of seasonality of income, uncertainty of agricultural and market rigidity is the main reason for chronic and absolute poverty.

75% of the poor are in rural villages 30% live under chronic poverty

Number and Percentage of Population below poverty line by states - 2011-12 (Tendulkar Methodology)- Planning Commission

Embellished Rural society

The poor of innocent peasant cannot stand on equal footing with that of the poor in the urban

sector. They have abundant choices but the capabilities to reach out to opportunities are bleak. Access to services such as education, health, water, infrastructure with particular reference to roads and telecommunications are feeble. Income remains perpetually at low ebb having no scope for saving or investment. They have a very weak economic base. There is a dichotomy between nature and the magnitude of backwardness. The policy punch hitherto trounced has created isolation of the rural societies conferring benefits to the rural elite and newly emerged middle class society.

Why to protect and promote the

Rural Economy

Why does this urgency to turn the thought of everyone for the honest survival of rural people. Is it not possible to drop the rural poor in the race of modernization and industrialization? What stands for rural self-sufficiency and If so, what is the significant role of rural economy? Why is the chase and parade of corporate on rural economy? Does it for creating instill confidence among the poor or to appropriate the wealth of the rural in the name of ‘perpetual market penetration’? Why this continuous hunt? Does every money spent on rural create visible and viable return in the countryside? Wh at would be the quantum of pillage and the magnitude level of pilferage? Are the villages always a hunting ground of rural poverty and social misery?

Has any integrated sustainable developmental strategies been introduced by adopting the rural economy with the wisdom to restore the agrarian economy for continuous and sustainable survival? Why does the subsistence and supplement option to ensure the mutilating growth? Is it not a piecemeal, sporadic effort and confabulating attempt on Blight of rural survival?

The answer for the above unmindful rural exploitation is not just to open the rural economy for mere devastation but to make rural living more meaningful with an attempt to take the natured for the future generation.

Weak and wane rural System: Rural is a home to many and a reservoir of feeding all. Rural systems are

still perpetually weak and fragile. The pluralistic rural society exhibits only stony silence. The innocence and torpid rural structure have refrained the villagers to augment the full benefits and also made villages to become hunting

grounds of few to enmesh the poor and amass the rural wealth. The rural economy is no doubts in cross road but it is still reeling under the influence of rigidity and slow opening. Rural development is a fancy word for the bureaucrats, media and academicians. Rural is a paradise with plenty of abounded resources but abandoned life with lingering for perpetual survival. They are living with less food security and unable to hooking on poverty line.

It is wonder and unimaginable that t the Producer and supplier of food and vegetables are starving with hunger and struggling for survival.

Social Exclusion –The social, cultural, linguistic, gender, racial, religious and educational constraints affect the rural poor and leads to ‘social seclusion’ and ‘financial exclusion’.

Technical Capacity and Training – The support have less technical capabilities and the age old system is the only viable technical operation to carry on the agriculture operation. Using of chemical and other inputs are only new

beginning but relatively costlier. The return from the agriculture produce is not sufficient enough to need the input cost. The unskilled rural population is yet another issue that reduces opportunity for ready access and adaptation to new technologies and employment. The lack of capacity affects not only the productivity and competitiveness in the changing marketplace but also the ability to find trained staff for service provision

Vulnerability to Health and Environment: The poor are weak and has fewer capacities to offer healthy environment. Majority of them are unable to offer basic medical facilities and often proven to communicable dieses.

Infrastructural Capacity – poor communication, pitiful roads, unequipped schools and missing social and health services decrease efficiency of operations, discourage new services and increase the outflow of the most talented and resourceful persons and a reluctance of educated families to live in rural communities. Institutional Capacity –there are mushrooming of organizations in rural areas but the relative capacities are lacking and they are mostly exploitative in nature. An exception to the capacity constraint is at the micro level where the social fabric is able strong and is sufficient for the level of operations undertaken and may also form linkages with intermediaries operating nearby towns

Political awareness: relatively less. Such opportunities are being exploited by many.

Present Rural Profile

Poverty high

Influx migration to urban Very High

Earning capacity Less

Size of holding Low

Exploitation High

Commercialization of operation

low

Applying of chemicals and pesticides

High

Earning capabilities Less

Rural Savings Less

Employment opportunities less

Access to organized finance Low

Technology adoption Moderate

Marketing net work weak

Cost of input High

Infrastructure support weak

Monsoon Over dependability

Education Level moderate

Opportunities Abundant

Institutional capabilities Poor

Presence of private organized financial institutions

less

Non form job absorption Less

Community participation Strong

Indebtedness High

Crime less

Suicide Silent

Environment degradation Less

Spatial integration low

Abandoning the agriculture operation

High

Enhancement of productivity

Moderate

Commercialization of agronomy

slow

Agricultural cluster initiatives

weak

Research and R & Support Low

Heath care and preventive facilities

Less

Cultural erosion High

Life system Changing

Litigation High

Rural Development Challenge - a Vision Confronts Reality

Unmindful vision always confronts reality. Improving performance depends increasingly on the skills and motivation of rural folk and developing holistic growth model for mass participation rather than rapid industrialization. Often the rural development challenges ends with rushing to the countryman in the name of subsidies and embellishment of rural restructuring.

The real challenges advocate contended

inclusive growth with less stain and minimum

outside dependence.

_______________________________________ The paradigm of rural reality depends heavily on mass participation and integrated approach for sustainable development starting from mapping the resources, adopting high bride model for growth, integrated approach for harmonious growth of rural enterprises so as to arrest the rural migration.

_______________________________________

Employment Expansion

Employment expansion is a main criterion in

the choice of selection for providing

employment opportunities down the block

level.

Urban Renewal for Economic Inclusion

vs Displacement for rural with

Economic exclusion:

Some communities, sectors and firms are only positioned to thrive in a globally integrated economy. But inclusion exercise has created lopsided development and cult of violence in the rural soil.

Non-farm sources of income are important means of rural survival. The direct wage income or agricultural revenue from the farming activities is not sufficient enough either to ensure or to enhance the livelihood, because of landlessness or owning uneconomic size of land or having least leased land in possession.

The rural areas are witnessing a stock of abundant resources on one side BS abandoned life with abject poverty on the other side. The paradoxical rural scenario depicts the extreme missing market mechanism.

Agriculture is highly seasonal and limited one.

Further, the most disturbing factor is that the unviable operations cause less income supplement for the peasants who often fall in the debt trap.

Every attempt on urbanization of rural economy forced the rural folk to migrate to the far-flung or nearest township for better employment. Such an urban inclusion and pro-urban policy has victimized the rural poor with displacement of rural labor force for job opportunities which in turn erode the very system of the rural economy.

Integrated community

enterprise Model: an attempt

to remove the trace of abject

poverty from the rural soil

Integrated community induced enterprise model advocates villagers participation in the development process. The modern peasant cannot viably operate the form with the limited availability of land. Group participation and co-operative forming is the best model for effective and economic utilization of land.

Innovative rural development efforts, challenges and identification of priorities are the prime task for handling the growth in the hinterland. Rural communities are more likely depending on a single employment source from the land. Any ‘deviation will create devastation effect’ on rural economy. Adoption of integrated community enterprise model ensures higher rates of self-employment in the diversified potential income generation options and greater economic integration with subsistence earning. All the community induced growth impulses should be encircled around agriculture business. Agri-business development confirms supplementary earning capabilities in the rural region. The modified growth-driven rural development approach propagates identification of priorities and participation of every citizen in the undisputed effective business activities. It connects the rural with rest of the country with mass proliferation.

The improved aggregate agriculture business development is mainly concerned with mass

production, scientific storage, innovative processing, and prompt distribution and selling of agricultural commodities and products by the group players. Further adoption of modified value added enterprises suitable to the rural fold creates pull and push effects in the adjoining country land. Stratification of regions based on geographical significance will facilitate the group for better utilization of growth potential in a diversified rural economy. The value added

support service suitable or supplement to the agricultural operations will strengthen the local value chain and integrate the rural economy into the global value chain. Non-agricultural business operation and consequent agribusiness will completely change the whole character of the rural sector. It might be a deliberate attempt rather than a debilitating effort. Integrating agriculture and enterprises within the rural areas is no longer primarily connected to the traditional territorial location of agricultural production but integration of real rural economic effectiveness under group initiatives and clustering of activities with allocation of resources for diversified agro-industrial interfaces. What is community participation in

the rural front?

Community participation means gaining access to income and job opportunities within the territory through group task and regional specialization through spatial integration. It is an attempt on drifting the Raw material feeder sector into manufacturing and service sector orientation with multi task under participative people movement.

The development processes is centered around certain people. Community participation on public wealth will integrate the rural economy both horizontally and vertically through on-farm and off -farm activities for reducing vulnerability to a

greater extent. It is a direct support to the integrated rural enterprises for a decent survival. This initiative aims to “promote opportunities for participation of marginalized communities in the main economic stream and to improve the quality of livelihoods of the poor. Integrated intervention is focusing established value added enterprises centered around agricultural activities and selection of noticeable technologies in agro processing, aquatic development, bio pesticides, indigenous medicinal plant extraction, high end technology for creating food supplement and, commercial exploitation of agricultural waste and residual for economic gain. The identified core technologies in agro– industrial integration implies regional transfers of production capacities for massive roll-out and application of adoptable technologies in tribal and rural development through community enterprises. The traditional skills and craftsmanship should be identified and that should be enhanced in line with the modern requirements. Traditional craftsmanship should be modernized and some extend that should be mechanized in such a way that it should not lose

the age old dexterity and identity. Filling of soil and fee meals will no longer solve the rural crisis. The sustainability and self reliance are only the linchpin to lift the rural from subsistence option and bare minimum survival trap.

The warranted rural growth strategy may start somewhere from the bottom and it planned schme should be vigorously implemented without much pilferage and fit- falls. A new financial discipline is necessary for stalling the functional type of overstepping of non institutionalized financial exploitation. The innovative start-ups and spin-offs in the adjacent areas create strong rural integration and arrest of the rural migration. Assessment of rural development is apparently more difficult as the extent of decentralization is only modest and it requires broader frame work to revaluate the real impact on economic drain in the country side. Dreaming of Modern rural India is far from reality. The voice of rural is still fuming and neglected areas for many. The common minimum goal mission addresses the impending human cries for food, energy and shelter and a decent life.

What is to be done for total Rural

Transformation?

1. Selection of right choice 2. Creating “Integrated Rural

Accessibility” 3. Need to introduce spatial dimension

and rural integration at the micro

level. 4. Introducing intensive and integrated

farming activities. 5. diversification of opportunities for

local participation

6. formation of community enterprise model

7. Injection of appropriate technology 8. Creating New Brand image for the

local produce 9. NRI venture development hydride

agriculture operation and value addition

10. Mass participation 11. Creating integrated processing cum

procurement centre at village level 12. Creation of strong raw material bank

with new state of art of technology 13. Creating outlets for rural produce 14. Easy Rural credit option 15. Ensure macroeconomic rural stability

and sustainability through improved market efficiency.

16. Integrating rural economy and the urban markets by using the space of government and private institutions

17. Less centralization of Extension Services

18. Sensitization of the rural folk 19. Reduction of post harvest losses. 20. Introducing pre and post harvesting

technologies for food security and elimination of wastages

21. Support for establishing supplement

earning option in rural regions

22. Narrow down the rural-urban divide

23. Introducing Technology for utilizing

local raw materials, local skills and

largely cater to the local demand

24. grass root level correction 25. introducing well knitted

decentralized progressive approach 26. Bringing local resources and the

means of product

ion progressively within the control and direction of the local community

27. Inclusion of privileged and tribal population in the progressive development

28. Support for creating necessary production base with need based intervention – creating community production facility and production centre within the excising growth centre or near to the cluster operation.

29. Diversification and value addition of traditional skills and crafts

30. Creating production and process centre for the needs of the urban

Need Based Assessment

Developing of hybrid model of

agriculture, horticulture, rural crafts, industry, services as Growth Engines

Identification of vibrant high growth thrust sectors in every district” based on intrinsic or Proven potential

Emphasis on self employment option across the district

Creation of employable and alternative income generation activities for Self-help group

Undertaking skill up gradation training for the rural folk

Creation of multifunctional service centre

Adoption of rural hub by financial institution

Creation of multiple linkages with educational institutions, R &D centres,

Developing forward linkages with user groups

Creation of market support for legacy products

Conducting mass outreach programme with the support of IT tools

Integrated rural

Development Path

Intervention Strategy Development option

Community Need Assessment Harness the creative potential

Modified agriculture operation

Capacity assessment Identified Model Villages

New product development Roll out of workers turned owners factory

Service support Supporting viable agriculture sector Networking and marketing

Establishing integrated service centre

Shirt from traditional agricultural operation

Group agricultural operation n

Creating community enterprise

Technology support Hybrid agri operation

Community Enterprise development

Community support

Arresting of youth out-migration Creation of village youth club

Integration of agri and rural clusters Integrating educational institution and villages

Creating employment opportunities

Creation of model training centre Off-farm Employment and Rural Business

Modernist ion of rural and Artisan enterprises

Unexploited opportunities in agriculture, tourism, mining and Rural enterprises

Strong interface between rural enterprises and agri business Equipping the rural skills

Creation of agi-park Mini processing centre Rural development artisan clusters

Private R & D support

Identification of local talet

Free lance scientist expertise

Marketing support

Eco system

Value addition and eco friendly agriculture and industrial linkages

Financial support

Participative financial model

Community consortium Movement

Problem Solving Matrix

Problem Inefficient absorption of rural Economy and slow opening

Scanning the issues Status of geographical distribution of agro-economic zones, suitability classification/option Accessing the urban and rural service networks capabilities

Solution

Agribusiness development, Command area development Introduction of multi-cropping practices. Community Farming Youth participation Local Participation Local Empowerment Village adoption Agriculture- to Agri-cluster – Adaptive enterprises Integrated Farm and Non- farm activities Remunerative farming Agro-Village tourism

Reason for rural Dependency and degradation of social values

Reasons

Low productivity ,fragmentation of agricultural holdings; old practices; small potential resource base; Poor financing selective outward migration; sub-standard services Low Marketing support Not an enterprising and remunerative activities Poor Infrastructure support

Non growth propeller

Impact Mass Migration Over dependability, Poverty Trap

Stagnant rural economies leading to structural poverty; inability to support population at adequate levels of living

Strategy Markedly focused production approach focus on promotion rural community enterprises enhancement of the competitiveness of rural regions provision of opportunities to rural citizens Area Based approach Macro- and area-specific diagnoses Resource sharing mechanism Adopting Hybrid Developmental Models technological innovation and product specialization R to R integration R to U integration

"top-down" industrial enclave development

Some Livelihood option at Rural Level – Indicative

Multi skill service station Common processing and packing of vegetables grains – Rural Move- urban markets

Rural BPO

Common marking Common warehousing system sylo - model of storage

Natural dying and natural fiber based textile products

Community enterprises Organic farming Manufacturing of ladies wear

Integrated verminI composing cum dairy forming centre

Integrated cold storage centre

Rural Health Service

Community dairy farming Mini truck for vegetable and agriculture produce transportation

Mobile service station

Hybrid seed development and sales

Freshwater fishery development

Embroidering and chamki work

Integrated Nursery centre Edibale Oil processing and packing and marketing under common Brand

Rural Tourism

Mushroom cultivation Mushroom seed making Readymade garments

Gate and Grills

Paper Bags making Sanitary napkin Energy good

Integrated Poultry farming

Legacy products with brand image

Rice flocks Multi skill task training centre

Readymade gate and grill works

Floriculture Essential oil extraction Community Bio gas Plant

kraft paper plant

Recycling of corrugated boxes

Brick making by using VSK Brick Kiln technology

Electronic products assembling

Coir based compressed wood

Safety match industry Improved agriculture implements

Fire briquettes

Coir pith blocks

modern kitchen wares – Stainless steel based

Assembling of electronic items

Surgical cotton items

Multi skill training center with the support of industrial association

Coir mat and mattress

Herbal Agarbatti

Solvent extraction plant

ethanol production Glass engraving solar lamps and other solar products

Packed dirking water

Liquid fuel production from biomass - best option for land reclamation

Medicated tissue paper and sanitary napkins

Food processing

Electricity agricultural residues

Aluminium structural fabrication

Plastic kitchen accessories assembling

cultivating medicinal and aromatic plants and extraction

Bandage and Surgical cotton – value added medicated – instant products

Upholstry