Optimists see the Opportunity in Problems

It is often said that, the optimist, sees the opportunity in a problem, the pessimist on the other hand, sees the problem in an opportunity.
It is a sad aspect of the Indian rural landscape, that all the optimists are now found to be residing in urban areas and working as politicians, finance professionals, agribusiness consultants, lawyers, contract farming and management experts.
All the pessimists, guess what, conversely, are on the other side of the coin and are found to be trying to eke out an existence from the so called second Indian Green Revolution, that is turning many an international investor to look India wards for his returns on investments.
A whole caboodle of Indian agri business, contract farming, and retail food consultants, is emerging to guide the foreign investors into the less tricky aspects of investing capital in India.
Among the services on offer are, what is called in the flexi language as market entry strategies - with nose to the ground. Now, what exactly is meant by these agri business consultants, who have their nose on the ground ? It certainly is not the same talent as the of the bull who manages to sense whether the cow is on heat or not, by an elaborate sniff of the back side.
It is basically the ability to spot the possible margins of profit between crop reaping season and the prices next year before sowing. You guessed it, somewhat akin to the lala who was often condemned by the Marxists and Communists for his feudalistic and anti farmer tendencies. The middleman will never disappear from the Indian food procurement scene. The cosmetic language changes are affected for the suave markets, crops become commodities, debt becomes crop advance, seed retention becomes modern seeds that modern consumers look for, distress buying becomes, advance market interventions, etc, etc.
Only the caste, educational qualifications and dress code will make a subtle change.
The new breed of corporate agri business, and contract farming experts, offer a range of services like, educating farmers on new and modern agricultural practices, export markets, price fluctuations, investment opportunities, potential of genetically modified seeds to convert him into the real "dharti ka puttar".
Mark my words, they will be instituting an award for the most modern farmer, who will be given the chance of a lifetime to make a world tour, in an exchange program with European or American farmers.
And we were all, just beginning to celebrate, the death of the middleman, from Indian farm scenario, as the emergence of the decisive Indian farm transformation and Second Green Revolution, with the aid and guidance of the corporate sector.
Premature celebrations, are they not ?

Who Wants the Indian Farmer's Grammy ?

I certainly hope that one day, there will be a glittering cermenony, where all the men and women featured, on the intricate pages of Global Who's Who pages, or the Intellectual's Encyclopedia will assemble, to laud and applaud, the person who is given the one and only, ladies and gentlemen, hold your breath, the great, Indian farmer's Grammy.
One may wonder why do Indian farmers need to institute the thoroughly acclaimed and not so widely discussed, farmer's grammy ?
Well, the answer is, afterall, awards are given for genuine contributions, made by notable people, to notable causes.
Indian politicians and economists, are however not very keen on the Indian Farmer's Grammy. They somehow have this lurking suspicion that it may turn into a double whammy for them.
Indian farmers are visited by the politicians, of various hues and colours usually, approximately one year before election time, and sometimes when an issue like floods or starvation deaths or large scale farm debt related suicides, or farmland acquisitions, for industrial and car project purposes at non corporate prices, gain disproportionate media attention.
Indian politicians, seem to prefer awards bestowed by foreign governments, paradoxically, for the services of politicians, to "constructive nationalism" displayed, by these politicians, in the discharge of their official duties, while in office. The poor Indian farmer, feels that his humble trophy will not find many takers.
After all, notable trophies, are for notable politicians, making notable contributions to notable causes. The Indian farmer's cause is Indian farming, certainly not a notable cause, the contributions made are not notable, for afterall, the contract farming management experts, restyling themselves as corporate India's knights making their charge into Indian agriculture, are all busy telling the farmer how to improve his efforts. And yes, no notable politicians line up for the Indian farmer's notable awards, given away at glittering ceremonies where the international glitterati is clapping softly and making faces at the camera and comparing their perfumes.