The basic objective of the Gandhian model is to raise the material as well as the cultural level

of the Indian masses so as to provide a basic standard of life, the primary aims of Gandhian

model is improving the economic situation of the 5.5 lakh villages of India and therefore, it

lays the greatest emphasis on the scientific development of agriculture and fast expansion of

cottage and village industries. Agriculture The Gandhian model aims at the reform of

agriculture as the most important sector in economic planning in India. The primary objective

of agricultural development is national independence in foodstuffs and most regional

independence in food and green. That is to be achieved not only by larger and better inputs

but also throughout land reforms—modify in the system of tenure, abolition of the

proprietary rights on land, consolidation of holdings, organization of co-operative farms, etc.

Money lending should be abolished, and there should be increased credit facilities for the

farmers. The Gandhian model lays special emphasis on dairy farming as an occupation and as

an auxiliary to agriculture.

f) Lagging Agriculture

In the wide world, India stands at a significant milestone in agriculture, as it is second for

arable land, population dependence, rice and wheat production and for other crops, and thus

has considerable share in the global agriculture. Despite this high-level picture for its role and

share in the world, the pathetic conditions of cultivators generate a number of unanswerable

questions. We find suicides of farmers, huge debt burden, low level of incomes, market

problems and thus a galaxy of problems exist in agriculture in rural India. As per the census

of 2011, cultivators are 37.74 per cent and agricultural labour 32.94 per cent and thus from

the main workers 71 per cent of the workforce is under agriculture. Though this shows a

major segment of the population depends on agriculture, its growth rate in the recent past (10

years) has been low—not more than 1.5 per cent (crop). It certainly affects the incomes of a

vast segment of the population. A collective method of production-cooperative, grouping or

any common method accepted by villagers could be adopted to increase production and

incomes of farmers. The additional facilities required, which are in demand, may be arranged

in the rural areas. As Gandhi reiterated, there should be a system which eradicates the chronic

problems of agriculture.

Agricultural System, Agricultural Land and Cottage Industry

(In the context of Gram Swaraj)

Dr. Krishnaswarup Anandi

Earth, water, sky, air and fire; these are the five elements (panch mahabhut) which are

considered to be very important in the Indian philosophy regarding a way to lead life. It is

said that these five elements are essential for the entire creation, environment, consciousness

and development of the universe. Of these, the earth can be considered as being the main

basis of the other four elements.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi believed that land, air,

water, sunlight and sky are God’s gifts and under no circumstances should these come under

the control of any person, business group, industrial group or any centralised form of power.

These belong to the masses and are public resources. In reality the State is only their trustee

and not their owner as they belong to the people at large. Therefore, in reality, these elements

should be made community based, localised and decentralised and not be brought under

government control, centralised or brought under any corporate.

Ownership of Land
Any conversation or discussion about land does not refer to land on the surface, rather it

refers to what lies above and also below it. We have to take land in its totality. Gandhi

believed that the land should not belong to an individual or to the State. Rather it should

belong to the primary face-to-face local people’s communities Although in the concept of

trusteeship there is no space for monopoly, privilege or individual ownership, Mahatma

Gandhi used to believe that a farmer should have that much land which he and his family

members could cultivate. He should have an amount of land which was manageable for him

to grow crops, support cattle from its products as well as enough to retain bio-diversity and

capacity to rejuvenate itself. In other words, he wanted the farmer to consider the earth as his

mother. He believed that a farmer should have an amount of land with which he could subsist

his daily earnings honestly and live a life of dignity. The agriculture being practised should

be organic. Effort should be made to return at least as much as being taken from the soil. The

things being used in agriculture should be labour intensive, appropriate and environment

friendly. The tools and implements being used should be made locally. The source of energy

should be decentralised and local. The farmer should have that much of cultivable land which

gives him a complete and reliable means of livelihood. Those who are real farmers, if they

want, can join hands and form a cooperative or community to cultivate their lands. However,

there should be no use of force in these areas, all efforts should be spontaneous, arising from

within the community and completely voluntary in nature. Mahatma Gandhi had a similar

dream when it came to the field of animal husbandry.

At the time the entire country was fighting against the British Empire, Mahatma Gandhi was

also concerned with ways to combat against the aftermath of a long period of subjugation. He

used to openly express his vision of new India post-political independence. He used to speak

about his thoughts in various programmes and campaigns that he used to attend. His main

focus was on how to end the colonial state system, because it proved to be a substantial
hurdle in building up a new society in independent India. He wanted to bridge the gulf

between various communities and castes that was prevalent in the country and therefore he

often used to launch satyagraha against the British Government. His intentions were to unite

the people and demonstrate their power. He believed that for satyagraha, a constructive

programme was necessary, and that during the long period of satyagraha there should not be

any diversion from the main task at hand. It is for this reason that during the fight for

independence he did not launch any movement for land reforms in favour of the farmers and

landless and against the landlords. However, post-independence, he wanted to launch a new

revolution in the field of agriculture. Under this revolution, he wanted to organise, enlighten

and energize the landless farmers. Even small farmers who tilled their own little plots were to

be included in this movement. He targeted big zamindars, rajas, maharajas, nawabs and other

rich land owners. He wanted that a satyagraha be started under the leadership of the landless.

If due to satyagraha there was a change of heart among the landowners then it was good,

otherwise the landless would continue to challenge the zamindari system through nonviolent

means. Mahatma Gandhi was of the view that such a satyagraha would be pure in its

intension and it would not end till zamindari system itself ended. He believed that this land

satyagraha would pave way for the government to legislate the banning of zamindari system

and redistribution of land among the landless. At the same time he was equally prepared to

launch a satyagraha against the government if it did not work in favour of the rich landowners

in any way.

Mahatma Gandhi used to believe that the zamindari system would not work and the real

owners of the land were those who tilled the lands. Also along with the other natural

resources, land should never be under individual ownership. The concept of trusteeship

would be implemented in all these spheres. He believed that people had the right to own

things that were the minimum necessity for leading a respectable life, and anything in excess
of that belonged to the entire society. You are the trustee of the wealth or things, not its

owner. What a person needs to consume and own for his daily needs would be decided on the

level of consumption of the general people at that point. This concept was also applicable in

case of land. Mahatma Gandhi wanted to root out the zamindari system and for this, he

thought that satyagraha was the best means. Even if there was no change of hearts among the

zamindars due to satyagraha, Gandhiji believed that the satyagraha would change the human

values, socio-economic paradigm in the country, build up the moral character of the people

and ultimately change the character of the state’s power and its attitude towards the people.

This will result in the formation of new laws.

Agriculture Versus Industrialization

Even when Mahatma Gandhi’s influence was at its peak there were people who advocated

industrialization and urbanization and modernization very strongly. However, in Gandhi’s

conception of Swaraj (complete independence) agriculture was the cornerstone of all

development. He wanted policies that would help build up agriculture and production of

goods essential for the people through a network of cottage industries that would generate

employment for the people. Mahatma Gandhi’s model was not centralised mass production,

but production by the masses. Surely, there would be no difficulty in finding land and other

resources for these small cottage industries. The local bodies and community at large would

provide the land. There would be no need for large scale land acquisition for various schemes

and the problems of displacement, deprivation of means of livelihood, environmental

degradation that are inherent with large projects. At present, the model of development is

industry focussed, which calls for big machines, plants, townships, business complex, high

tech parks etc – all things that need large amounts of land. And in many of the cases, the land

that is taken over is fertile land and large communities of farmers, tribals, fishermen and

other marginalized sections of society are displaced. In many cases those displaced were the
original inhabitants of the area. This development which is being built on the grave of

agriculture and community is anti-thesis of Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of Swaraj. Now the

question arises: ‘how can projects be implemented as the land and other resources belong to

the community at large?’ For any plants or industry to be built the people of the area have to

come together and decide on whether they want that plant or unit to come up and if they

agree then they will donate land voluntarily for the industry. Thus, it would be their own

industry and they will run it themselves and it would again be ‘production by the masses’.

The projects will belong to the people and it would be run for the greater benefit of the

society and nation at large. The role of the state would be to help in the setting up of the

industry by giving finance, technical expertise and other needed support. However, the

project would belong to the people. There will be no multinationals or local industrial houses

and this concept is also much ahead of the ‘public sector’ ‘private sector’ debate. They would

be owned by the Peoples’ sector or the Communitarian sector. This can be the next step in

Mahatma Gandhi’s vision. The question of land is fundamental to everything and vested

interests are understanding their importance. It is for this reason that investors, corporate

groups and other rich people are trying to corner as much of land as possible and their land

hunger has increased by leaps and bounds. As a

result, farmers are being evicted from their land and non-farmer units are being set up there.

Instead of farmer tilling the land, it is now corporate farming or contract farming. Mahatma

Gandhi used to say, ‘The land belongs to the tiller’, but now in this age of globalisation the

mantra has changed to become, ‘Hand over lands to corporates’.

Cottage and Village Industries

The primary aim of the Gandhian plan is the attainment of maximum self-sufficiency in

village communities. Hence, the plan emphasizes the rehabilitation, development and
expansion of cottage industries side by side with agriculture. Spinning and weaving are given

the first place. The manufacturing of khadi is important and it is almost on the same level as

the production of rice and wheat. “Just as villagers cook their own roti (bread) and rice so

must they make their own khadi for personal use? The surplus, if any they may sell.”2 The

Gandhian plan outlines a scheme for making every village self-sufficient in cloth. At the

same time, the Gandhian plan wants the State to consider the revival and expansion of rural

cottage industries as the main plan of its industrial planning. Gandhi emphasized the conflict

between village industries and capitalintensive pattern of industrialization based on high

degree of urbanization. E. Haribabu of the Indian Institute of Technology (Kanpur) writes: “

The twin 9 compulsions of reconstructing the economy and achieving rapid economic

development after Independence, prompted India’s rulers to adopt a model of development

based on the experience of the West: the implicit emphasis on capitalintensive

industrialization and urbanization. Over a time a distinct bias became apparent towards urban

settlements in general and big cities in particular”. Explaining the role of rural areas in the

process of industrial development of India in the postIndependence period, the late

Annasaheb Sahasrabudhe wrote: “The rural areas were encouraged to start such industries

which provide urban population with things like milk, vegetables, oil seeds, cotton and food

grains and purchase from the urban areas items such as cloth oil and other manufactures” 3

The villagers have thus been turned into second class citizens to supply cheap raw materials

and semi-finished products to the urban organized sector. The principal element in this

strategy is the transfer of all but most primitive jobs to the cites.

Farmers and Mahatma Gandhi

Farmer is a person engaged in agriculture work and lives in villages. Who raises living

organisms for food or raw materials? A farmer might own the farmed land or might work as a

labourer on land owned by others, but in advanced economies, a farmer is usually a farm

owner. Mahatma Gandhi loved farmers very much. But he worried their problem. He wanted

to improve their economical condition. He wanted to pick out them from social evils.

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “I for one am a farmer and I wish you all to become

farmers, or to continue as such if you have already become farmers. My way of life has

completely changed here. The whole day is spent in digging the land and other manual labour

instead of in writing and explaining things to people. I prefer this work and consider this

alone to be my duty.”1 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “Of course the farmer is the

father of the world. But it is his greatness that he is not aware of the fact. Those who devote

themselves to good works of any worth are not aware of their own goodness. Just as we

breathe every moment but are not aware of the fact, so are good people by their very nature

impelled to give expression to their goodness. They are not conscious that they deserve any

credit. They do not care to be honoured.”2

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “A farmer cannot work without applying his mind. He

must be able to test the nature of his soil, must watch changes of weather, must know how to

manipulate his plough skillfully and be generally familiar with the movements of the stars,

the sun and the moon. The farmer knows enough of astronomy, geography and geology to

serve his needs. He has to feed his children and has, therefore, some idea of the duties of

man, and, residing as he does in the vast open spaces of this earth, he naturally becomes
aware of the greatness of God. Physically, it goes without saying, he is always sturdy. He is

his own physician, when ill. Thus, we can see, he does have an educated mind.”3 Mahatma

Gandhi wrote about farmers; “A farmer should not go about from place to place. A farmer’s

son would be violating his dharma if he were to neglect sowings that he might go and see his

father. You have spread your fragrance there; it must be that some good deeds of yours and

mine are now bearing their fruit.”4

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “Agricultural work will be difficult till some land has

been obtained. Perhaps it will be best to drop it for the time being. The man who teaches us

should be one who has himself been a successful farmer.”5 The term farmer usually applies

to people who do some combination of raising field crops and related of plants. Their

products might be sold in market. In a subsistence economy, farm products might to some

extent be either consumed by the farmer's family. Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers;

“India lives in farmers’ huts. The weavers’ skill is a reminder of India’s glory, and so I feel

proud in describing myself as a farmer and weaver.”6

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “An illiterate farmer can represent the difficulties of

the agricultural classes much better than an Indian learned but without experience in that

particular field. I wish; therefore, to see an ever-increasing number of delegates from among

farmers, weavers, carpenters, blacksmiths, shoe-makers and other such groups. I, for one,

think that no substantial progress in the country is possible so long as patriotic farmers do not

attend our political and social conferences in numbers proportionate to their numerical

strength. The understanding of farmers’ conditions which, through direct experience, I

acquired in few months in Champaran1 and Kheda cannot be had from any number of
books.”7 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “Go and give the message from this farmer

Gandhi to other farmers that he has asked them not to steal and not to gamble. Their duty is to

grow corn and sell it at reasonable prices. They may not sell at a loss, but it is not right for a

cultivator to make unduly large profits like a miserly trader. They will find theirs a worth-

while profession only if they save themselves from this.”8

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “The Indian farmer is responsible for his own ruin in

that he has indolently neglected cotton culture which was once so good.”9 Mahatma Gandhi

wrote about farmers; “When a farmer wants to sow, he removes the weeds and pebbles from

the field, ploughs it and makes the soil even. If, even after he has done all this, he goes on

turning things this way and that in the field, he will be simply wasting his time. Nor will it be

proper for him to make the same experiments in another field without first watching their

effects in the first one. Those of you who are farmers will understand the point. From among

the plants which grow from the seeds sown by him, a farmer will pluck out those which are

of indifferent quality, sallow, or lifeless. Even from the crop of wheat which he has

harvested, he will stock the best portion as seed and will reap a better harvest every year. We

have succeeded in enlarging the area; now we should address ourselves to improving the

strength and quality.”10

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “In India, no farmer can have enough to live on

without some small extra income and he can get it only through spinning. Weaving will not

serve the purpose, for it cannot be done only in spare time.”11 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about

farmers; “It is indeed true that agriculture involves the destruction of countless insects. But

another statement, equally true, is that the process of living, even respiration, involves
violence of the same kind. But just as by committing suicide one does not completely get rid

of the body, so also by refusing to take up agriculture one does not abolish it. A human being

is made of earth. His body springs from the earth and derives its sustenance from the various

forms which earth takes. Anyone who lives by begging his food in order to avoid the sin that

is involved in agriculture commits a twofold sin. He is guilty of the sin involved in

agriculture since the food which he begs was produced by the labour of some farmer. He who

fills his stomach by begging shares the sin of which that farmer is guilty by virtue of his

farming. Secondly, he is guilty of the sin of harbouring ignorance and the indolence which

results from it.”12

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “Those who see the poverty of India and feel grieved

should probe under the surface and find its real cause. It is not as if it were slowly decreasing.

It is growing, in spite of hospitals, schools, metalled roads and railways. In spite of all these

you find the people are being ground down as between two millstones. They live in enforced

idleness. A century ago every cottage was able to replenish its resources by means of the

spinning wheel. Now every farmer, scratching the earth only a few inches deep with the

wooden plough, works in the season of cultivation. But he cannot do much work in the other

seasons of the year.”13 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “Self-help means the ability to

stand on one’s own feet without help from others. This does not mean that one should be

indifferent to such help, or decline it when offered or never desire it or ask for it. But a farmer

who, though wanting and seeking others’ help, can preserve his composure and self-respect

when it is refused, is a man of self-help. A farmer who, though he can get others’ help,

himself attends to all the operations of tilling the land, sowing and reaping, himself makes the

required implements, himself weaves cloth for his use from yarn spun by himself, stitches his
own clothes, cooks his own food and labours to build a house for himself such a farmer is

either stupid or self-conceited or is just a savage.”14

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “The farmer sleeps in the field. Are you or the British

officer ever likely to sleep there? But who cares for the poor man’s feelings? What joy does

he get out of life? He has to work in the field from early morning. So he also spreads his bed

there. He may die of snakebite. But the farmer leads such a life by compulsion. If it is at all

called sacrifice on his part, it is sacrifice forced on him. It is not as though he refused to travel

by train; if someone provided him the opportunity, he would travel. But if he leads his

particular kind of life in full knowledge of it, his life would indeed be blessed. Some sages

lead a life like this farmer, or like Jada Bharat. But in their case they have taken to such life

purposely.”15 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “I have nowhere described the

unavoidable destruction of life that a farmer has to commit in pursuit of his calling as ahimsa.

One may regard such destruction of life as unavoidable and condone it as such, but it cannot

be spelt otherwise than as himsa. The underlying motive with the farmer is to subserve his

own interest or, say, that of society. Ahimsa on the other hand rules out such interested

destruction. But the killing of the calf was undertaken for the sake of the dumb animal itself.

Anyway its good was the only motive.”16

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “Every farmer will utilize in his own fields the excreta

of his own family, so that no one will find anyone else being a burden to him and everyone

will go on enriching his own crop.”17 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “We must clear

our field of weeds; but he who lets his field lie fallow after weeding it wastes his effort and

unwanted grass grows in it again. However, he who sows his field after weeding it is a wise
farmer and becomes prosperous. In exactly the same way, if we do not sow seeds in the form

of constructive activity, the weeding in the form of the past twelve months’ non-violent

movement will go waste.”18 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “Ancient ploughs are

used as well as modern improved models; water is pumped from wells by methods which can

be followed in villages. We are rather partial to ancient implements which are suitable for the

poor farmer. They may be susceptible of some slight improvement, but nothing definite can

be said about it, as the Ashram has not the time to apply its mind to the subject.”19

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “Every farmer ought to use his hands and feet fully,

especially the hands. In a country where the farmers have no subsidiary industry, they

become almost like animals. If the company of animals is necessary, the experience of using

tools is equally necessary. If all men cultivated manual skill, then even if the population went

on increasing, within limits, everybody would have enough food to eat, cloth to cover his or

her body with and protection against heat and cold in a home. Remember the meaning of

varnadharma which I have been explaining these days.”20 Mahatma Gandhi wrote about

farmers; “If you take a farmer to a field in the vicinity of Bochasan, he will show you a few

varieties of eatable leafy vegetables. Some of these grow like grass—they are in fact grass. It

will serve your purpose even if you get ten or twenty leaves. The people there are bound to

have seeds of leafy vegetables. Which house will not have fenugreek, mustard and coriander

seeds?”21

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “Every farmer should have his own cow.”22

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “The farmer needs to know that his first business is to
grow for his own needs. When he does that, he will reduce the chance of a low market

ruining him.”23

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “It is quite impossible for an individual farmer to look

after the welfare of his cattle in his own home in a proper and scientific manner. Amongst

other causes lack of collective effort has been a principal cause of the deterioration of the cow

and hence of cattle in general. The world today is moving towards the ideal of collective or

cooperative effort in every department of life. Much in this line has been and is being

accomplished. It has come into our country also, but in such a distorted form that our poor

have not been able to reap its benefits. Pari passu with the increase in our population land-

holdings of the average farmer are daily decreasing. Moreover, what the individual possesses

is often fragmentary.2 For such farmers to keep cattle in their homes is a suicidal policy; and

yet this is their condition today. Those who give the first place to economics and pay scant

attention to religious, ethical or humanitarian considerations proclaim from the house-tops

that the farmer is being devoured by his cattle due to the cost of their feed which is out of all

proporation to what they yield. They say it is folly not to slaughter wholesale all useless

animals.”24

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; Under the collective system no farmer can keep cattle

in his house as he does today. They foul the air and dirty the surroundings. There is neither

intelligence nor humanitarianism in living with animals. Man was not meant to do so. The

space taken up by the cattle today would be spared to the farmer and his family if the

collective system were adopted. As the number of cattle increases, life becomes impossible

for the farmer in his home. Hence he is obliged to sell the calves and kill the male buffaloes
or else turn them out to starve and die. This inhumanity would be averted, if the care of cattle

were undertaken on a co-operative basis. Collective cattle-farming would ensure the supply

of veterinary treatment to animals when they are ill. No ordinary farmer can afford this on his

own. The sale of milk at good prices will be greatly facilitated, and there will be no need or

temptation for the farmer to adulterate it as he does as an individual.”24

Mahatma Gandhi wrote about farmers; “I am sorry to read about the bullock. I think the

bullock is like a son to the farmer. Animal husbandry is a difficult science. Agriculture can be

fruitful only through co-operation. The larger part of it should involve manual labour. I have

advised them in Noakhali to clear the fields by manual labour. Bullocks are scarce there. A

large number of them were slaughtered. My advice will be that no new bullocks should be

bought. How long can they go on buying bullocks? This whole question needs

consideration.”25 India is an agriculture country. More than 60% of its population directly or

indirectly depends upon it. Maximum agriculture is depending on monsoon. There are great

problems of draught and huge rains.

References:
LETTER TO MAGANLAL GANDHI; August 21, 1910

Indian Opinion, 3-12-1910

VOL. 13 : 12 MARCH, 1913 - 25 DECEMBER, 1913; Page- 64

LETTER TO MAGANLAL GANDHI; January 11, 1915

VOL. 15: 21 MAY, 1915 - 31 AUGUST, 1917; Page- 417

VOL. 18 : 1 MAY, 1919 - 28 SEPTEMBER, 1919; Page- 345

VOL. 21 : 1 JULY, 1920 - 21 NOVEMBER, 1920; Page- 165

Navajivan, 1-5-1921

Young India, 8-12-1921

Navajivan, 3-8-1924

VOL.31: 22 MARCH, 1925 -15 JUNE, 1925; Page- 331

Navajivan, 20-9-1925

VOL. 34: 11 FEBRUARY, 1926 - 1 APRIL, 1926; Page- 399

VOL. 34: 11 FEBRUARY, 1926 - 1 APRIL, 1926; Page- 471

VOL. 37: 11 NOVEMBER, 1926 - 1 JANUARY, 1927; Page- 473

VOL. 43: 10 SEPTEMBER, 1928 - 14 JANUARY, 1929; Page- 109

VOL. 47: 1 SEPTEMBER, 1929 - 20 NOVEMBER, 1929; Page- 121

Navajivan, 15-3-1931

VOL. 56: 16 JUNE, 1932 - 4 SEPTEMBER, 1932; Page- 185

VOL. 60: 10 MARCH, 1933 - 26 APRIL, 1933; Page- 9

LETTER TO VASUMATI PANDIT; March 15/16, 1935

Harijanbandhu, 2-5-1937

VOL. 81: 18 AUGUST, 1941 - 8 FEBRUARY, 1942; Page- 359

Harijan, 15-2-1942

LETTER TO BALVANTSINHA; July 24, 1947