Doubling farmers’ income in next five years is an achievable challenge in Assam

The four point action agenda prescribed by NITI Aayog Govt of India contain measures like earning remunerative prices for farmers by reforming the existing marketing structure including reform in minimum support price (MSP); raising productivity at individual farmer‘s level; reforming agriculture land policy; and strengthening relief measures. These are discussed at length in the context of Assam farmers. Farmers of Assam are often victim of ‘distress sale‘ of their produce. Therefore, it is envisaged that ‘marketing of produce‘ and ‘raising productivity‘ must go hand in hand in Assam. Telecommunication and internet services are the most important tool in the days of trade globalization. In March 2016 the north east India is now connected with International Internet Gateway (IIG) after Mumbai and Chennai at Agartala for broadband connectivity through Bangladesh under an agreement between BSNL and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company limited. The trade opportunity has further been opened within the BBIN countries (Bhutan-Bangladesh-India-Nepal) with the signing of Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA) in 2015. It is now expected to ease passenger, personal and cargo movement among the BBIN countries with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under its South Asia Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation programme. Assam is going to be the gateway of South East Asia. Time has come to extend the ambit of marketing for the produce of the farmers of Assam, thereby a grand scope to double the income of farmers of the Assam. Production is thus to be guided by exploring innovative demand of the market. For exploring potential marketing opportunity both at local and distant markets; four elements of the business venture viz. internal strengths, weaknesses, as well as its external opportunities and threats (SWOT) are required to be analysed at individual farmers level as well as both at micro and at macro level of organizations starting from village to regional or intra-neighbouring country levels. It would usher a new era of hope and prosperity for the otherwise land locked Assam. Thrust should be directed to consolidate land holding pattern for ease of mechanised cultivation and to attain critical mass of individual commodity for effective marketing. In more than 30% of annual crop are prone to flood damage. Relief measure should also be directed in the prevention of inundation of crop fields through diversion of excess water to the excavated natural water bodies (beels, holas) in the wetland are some of the measured suggested for doubling farmers‘ income within five years.