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 entire transaction the seed merchant, fertilizer and pesticide seller, tempo owner, middleman, weighing machine operator, porter, Market Committee and even the Chief Minister’s Fund… they all received their due share; the only person who was left out was the producer himself, the farmer. The entire system was working against the farmer. Joshi was learning, at the cost of his own sweat, this vital lesson not written in any book and not taught in any university. Another painful experience was about the potato crop. That time, showing dependence of a farmer on unpredictable nature. His first potato crop was bountiful. It was much appreciated by all. Officers from government’s Potato Research Institute in Khed specially came to see his crop. Joshi was pleased. He began to calculate mentally how many more crops of potato would be needed to recover Rupees four lakhs invested so far in the farm. Next time he again gladly planted potato. Unfortunately, some strange disease hit and the entire crop was destroyed! He said, ‘The plot in which I had planted potato was lying fallow for several years earlier and that was the only reason why my first crop was so good! My own efforts had little to do with it. Our farmer is so much dependent on the vagaries of natural factors like soil, rain etc. that it is impossible for him to say what might have happened because of which factor. Gradually my entire planning for the farm was beginning to collapse.’ Joshi had put at stake all he had. While returning to India he had about five to six lakh rupees received mainly from his provident fund and gratuity. It was more or less exhausted in buying the house and farm and later in improving it. He even had to take a loan. Joshi said, ‘I deliberately invested so much money in my farm because I did not want to be tempted to leave farming!’

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Sharad Joshi : Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage