If So Many Industries Come, Will Land Remain for Agriculture?

– Davos Visit, the Direction of Development, and the Questions of Workers and Farmers

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the World Economic Forum in Davos. During this visit, the government announced investment agreements (MoUs) worth lakhs of crores of rupees for Maharashtra. The government considers this a major success of development.

But a fundamental question arises—

If so many industries come, will land remain for agriculture?

And what real benefit does this development bring to the common worker and farmer?

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📉 Development Figures Are Rising, But Why Are Workers Still Poor?

Industries are growing today, but—

• Workers receive extremely low wages
• The contract labour system is expanding
• There is no job security
• Income does not increase in proportion to inflation

GDP increases and investments flow in, but the standard of living of workers remains stagnant.

This is development of numbers, not of people.

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🌾 Land for Industries – A Threat to Agriculture

Industries require large amounts of land. Most often, this land is—

• Fertile agricultural land
• Located near water resources
• The source of livelihood for farming families for generations

Once land is taken over by industries—

• It does not remain suitable for agriculture again
• The social and economic balance of villages is disturbed
• If the industry shuts down, both farmers and workers are devastated

This is one-way development — with no return.

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🌱 What Is the Alternative? Why Agriculture-Centric Development Is Necessary

If real, sustainable, and inclusive development is desired, the direction of development must change.

1️⃣ Bringing Maximum Land Under Irrigation

• Where there is water, agriculture survives
• One hectare of irrigated land → provides stable livelihoods to many families
• Compared to industries, agriculture provides employment to more people

2️⃣ Strengthening Agriculture as a Business

Today, farmers are no longer producers, but mere suppliers of raw material.

What is needed—

• Strict implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP)
• Storage, processing, and market access
• Strengthening Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)

Agriculture should not be charity — it must be a business.

3️⃣ Priority to Agriculture-Based Rural Industries

• Food processing industries
• Dairy farming
• Cotton–textiles–handloom
• Forest produce and bamboo-based industries

This results in—

• Reduction in migration
• Employment opportunities for women
• Economic activity circulating within villages

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❓ Then Why Does the Government Focus Only on Industries?

• They produce impressive figures
• They offer photo-op development narratives
• They allow quick projection of “success”

But agriculture and rural development—

• Show results slowly
• Do not make headlines
• But they feed the people

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📢 Policy Demands

1. Stop industrialization of fertile agricultural land
2. Adopt a policy of using barren / unused land first for industries
3. Give priority to irrigation projects over industrial projects
4. Create a separate investment policy for agriculture-based rural industries
5. Strict enforcement of minimum wage laws
6. Make local employment mandatory in exchange for incentives given to industries
7. Establish a public audit system for monitoring Davos MoUs

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🔚 Conclusion

Davos visits may indicate a direction of development, but if the direction of development does not turn towards people, this development will become agriculture-less, worker-less, and inhuman.

A development in which the farmer loses land
and the worker loses dignity—
is not development, but exploitation.

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Author: Arun Ramchandra Pangarkar
Founder:
— Shramik Kranti : Voice of the Poor