Sikh Farmers Heading To Africa?

[kdsingh80]

Jagjit Singh Hara's 50-acre farm in Kanganwal village in Jalandhar, Punjab, leaves him with little time for anything else. Still, he has taken time off to make a trip to the Pasteur Institute in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, to get himself inoculated against yellow fever before he sets out to scout for land in Africa.

As land holdings in the state shrink and the soil becomes less fertile, Punjab's farmers are already looking for greener pastures. And this time, it's Africa, where governments, especially in countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Sudan and Namibia, are looking for the right expertise, technology and farming skills.

Jagjit Singh, a farmer in Jalandhar who has contacts in the agriculture ministry, says he has been repeatedly getting offers from Congo, Namibia and Nigeria to take land on lease and start cultivation.

"Our state government and armchair experts at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) have failed us. Land holding in the state has shrunk, water levels have depleted and fertility of soil has gone down. The farmers of Punjab will have to fend for themselves. If it means going out of the country and starting cultivation elsewhere, they will," says Jagjit Singh.

[Courtesy: Indian Express]

[chatanga1]

"Our state government and armchair experts at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) have failed us. Land holding in the state has shrunk, water levels have depleted and fertility of soil has gone down. The farmers of Punjab will have to fend for themselves. If it means going out of the country and starting cultivation elsewhere, they will," says Jagjit Singh.

the farmers have to accept their share of the blame as well. Over use of fertilizers and pesticides, just to get bumper crops does have its repercussions.

[dalsingh101]

Let's hope they take their hardwork and expertise over there and leave the obnoxious supremacist stuff at home.

Edited July 24, 2010 by dalsingh101

[shaheediyan]

Using GM crops and khaad, and getting 3 harvest where they used to get 1 isn't exactly the governments fault. They have over worked the land to exhaustion, Americans have ruined many masses of land the same way.

Punjabs farmers have not shown any regard/respect for their land and water, and are now going to pay the price (sadly all Punjabis are).

Africans calling Punjabis to their aid are stupid. They need to get onto the responsible farming bandwagon i.e. seasonal growth, organic, using nature as an aid (rather than depleting it) etc etc.

[kdsingh80]

Punjab's land fertility is still the one of the best in India.The main problem is shrinking land with each generation.With land holdings becoming smaller it is difficult sustain on agriculture.

As far african countyries are concerned they are quite smart .They know expert farmers will make their countries food bowls of world

[dalsingh101]

This is a good move. A good way of building bridges with other nations/people instead of running to the west and being gorayan dey pet tuttay all the time.

Africa is a resource rich place with lots of potential. The Chinese have been investing/working there for years.