State of Rural and Agrarian India Report 2020: Rethinking Productivity and Populism through Alternative Approaches

This report was published by Network of Rural & Agrarian Studies (a nationwide collective of scholars, researchers, farmers, students and activists) on November 30, 2020. It aims to provide a critical overview of the state of agriculture in rural India.The publication discusses current government policies and their implications on rural India’s residents, livelihoods and ecologies. It also presents alternative ideas and approaches to facilitate the implementation of policies in a way that is “…socially just, economically stable, ecologically sustainable and politically democratic.”The 78-page report contains 15 chapters: an introduction (chapter 1); What are the Mainstream Approaches That Have Shaped Rural and Agrarian India? (chapter 2); What is the State of Agriculturists in India Today? (chapter 3); What are the Conditions of Artisans in India? (chapter 4); What Constitutes the Web of Risks in Agriculture? (chapter 5); What are the Perils of Populism and the State’s Role in this? (chapter 6); What are the implications of Corporate Control, Intellectual Property Regimes, and Datafication of Agriculture? (chapter 7); Alternative Visions for Rural India: Guiding Principles (chapter 8); What are the types of Climate Preparedness and Climate Resilient Initiatives? (chapter 9); How can We Revive and Strengthen Varied Rural Economies? (chapter 10); Why Produce and Consume Local? (chapter 11); How can Agricultural Marketing be made Accountable? (chapter 12); Why do Adivasi and Tribal Regions Require Special Attention? (chapter 13); What can be New Indices and Measurements for Evaluating Rural Economies? (chapter 14); and Conclusion: What Can Farmers and Others Do to Make the Rural Relevant? (chapter 15).