A New Vision for Farming

The following article relates specifically to Lesser Developed Countries or LDC's with agriculture based economies who have aready gotten independence or who are struggling for independence.

In Lesser Developed Countries whose economies are agriculture based, farmers must have greater control in the governments and politics of their countries. For too long, farmers of LDC's have found themselves being subjected and exploited and their importance generally ignored. Though this policy ispart and parcel of the exploitative systems in these countries, the time has come when farmer power must be seen and felt. This emphasis on farmer power does not mean that other workers should not have complete control over their lives. It does not mean that these workers are not important and are not exploited. However, the fact is that because a) farmers constitute a majority of the working force in agrobased economies and b) the export of agricultural crops e.g. bananas in St. Lucia and Dominica, produced by farmers brings in the most foreign exchange, their political power should and must be in proportion to their numbers and economic importance. Further, this stress is made on farmers because of the importance of land and agriculture in the developmentalyrccess.

In order to attain this political power, farmer in LDC's must organize by forming movements and political parties and working toward the following goals: 1) preparing themselves intellectually and academically to have greater control in their governments. One way of achieving this is for farmers to send their children and even grandchildren to university and college to learn more about modern farming and agriculture from a trained background. Further, the relationship of agriculture/farming to production, economic and political development should be pursued. Thus, the illiterate or semi-literate farmer of today pave the way and guarantee the education of literate farmers of tomorrow. Also, the political arms of the farmers should organize rehablilitative education classes for the farmers who need it as well as political education classes. Through this move, we will see farmers going out to the fields with their cutlasses at morning, but later, they leave the fields to go perhaps to parliament or political platforms to represent themselves on matters pertaining to their lives; (2) making their movement into vibrant and powerful organizations; (3) ensuring that sincere representatives from among themselves are in their government, by using their numbers power in block voting at periodic elections; (4) being the most powerful section in the Trade Union movements in their countries; (5) organizing themselves in such a way that they are prepared to protect their interest, lives and properties from the forces of oppression who try to deny their rights. As a result of attaining these goals, farmers must use their influence to make agriculture play the greatest role in the country's development.

Through the political control they acquire, farmers must work for: (a) taking care of the total food needs of their people; (b) land reform program; (c) family ownership and coöperative ownership of land; (d) banning imported foodcrops; (e) spending more on agriculture.

EMPHASIS ON FEEDING THE PEOPLE

Many farmers grow crops e.g. sugarcane,bananas, citrus etc. to sell to multi-national companies based in North America or England. This type of farming can continue because it brings in revenue for the country; however, profit sharing must become more equitable for the farmers as the producers of the crops. In addition diversification of crops, especially basic food crops must be achieved as a matter of urgency. With farmer power ensuring that: (a) markets are available; (b) foods they produce are not imported, planting general crops to feed their nation can and should be practiced. If the people of LDC countries in general are to experience a better quality of life, this 'feed your own nation' projection must become a reality. Further, it should be ensured that in general, farmers be able to acquire lands easily thereby giving them incentives to do farming.

OWNERSHIP

Through the collective pooling of financial resources by family members or by individuals who form themselves into coöperatives, land ownership further prevents the concentration of large quantities of land from being in the hands of just a few individuals.

BAN IMPORTED FOODS

Emphasis on agriculture and catering for its development demands that markets be readily available for farmers' produce. It is an injustice to farmers to have them grow foodcrops or other crops and after all their hard work, their produce can't sell or has to be undersold. Most farmers face this problem which is primarily caused by food importation as well as failure of marketing boards to create export markets for all the different varieties of crops grown in their countries as opposed to these “special” one or two crops grown in these countries. Therefore, laws must be placed on importation of all foods that can be or are grown nationally in order to facilitate the farmers. Also, national experiments should be carried out to determine the practicality of growing crops which were not traditionally grown. This way, agricultural lands will be planted with a variety of crops as opposed to one type of crop. In this context, the traditional belief that soil in one country can only grow bananas whilst another's soil can only grow sugar cane should be thoroughly and practically investigated. This type of belief or tale was spread by colonialists to ensure that the colonial/capitalist governments get enough of each type of crop needed for their home consumption.

SPENDING MORE ON AGRICULTURE

Too often, there is too much talk of agriculture with no real effort to make agriculture play a bigger role in national development. Farmer power must boost agriculture and see that money is spent on research, machinery, and training personnel in various fields of farming. Also, the maximum attention should be given to poultry farming and dairy farming as well as the fishing industry since these fields of agriculture are important sources of food. Agro-industries should also be set up for these industries which would further exploit and ensure utilization of produce.

From the above analysis, it is clear that farmers controlling political power will only result in the vast majority of the population acquiring its basic necessities with least difficulties. Because the majority of the people are engaged in farming leadership by farmers will ensure that the people are lead by leaders who know the needs of their people.