Can the loss of farmers be compensated? After all, they contribute 20 % to the GDP. Shouldn’t they be compensated?

Climate change has been happening for years but we can't be ignorant about who it has been affecting the most. It sure is affecting the entire human race but the peasants are the worst-affected ones whose livelihoods depend on this unpredictable weather. Majority of the peasants of the country unfortunately grow not to sell but to have a basic living. We should not forget that the country’s economic growth is directly linked with the peasants of the country.

Nepal is heavily dependent on the yield of yearly harvest for its economic growth. The media is flooded with the aftermath of the unpredictable rainfall which flushed away yearlong harvest in no time. This has snatched the hope of a better livelihood from the farmers as the country was about to hit a record for production of paddy this year with at least 6 million tons of yield across the country this year.

Can the loss of farmers be compensated? After all they contribute 20 % to the GDP. Shouldn’t they be compensated? Besides, I have not even shed light on other damages like infrastructure, roads and bridges caused by the heaviest rainfall so far. Behold what about the human lives lost. However, just when Nepal has been rising again from the COVID-19 crisis, have we been defeated yet again?

Those scrolling and sympathizing with the peasants should feel sad for themselves too. This loss is a loss of the entire country and not just of the peasants. We will have to face the consequences quite soon due to food crisis if this state prevails. Is Nepal ready for it? I wonder who will sympathize whom then? I am not even talking about the hills and mountains but just the Terai, the bread basket of Nepal where people below the poverty line are already starving.

Crops worth billions of rupees have surely gone in vain and so have the livelihoods of the peasants. Awaiting in hope from their unfortunate state, it is time farmers are sent a savior to feed them today so that they can start feeding us tomorrow and build back the economy of Nepal like a phoenix. #compensatefarmers

(The author is an English teacher and an MA graduate from Delhi University. She can be reached at barkhagupta.nepal@gmail.com.

 
• Farmers
 
• Agriculture
 
• Nepal
 
• Economy
 
• Compensation