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From the 15th - 17th of August 2022, Socratus conducted a Citizen Jury process on 'Dignified Income for Agricultural Households' in New Delhi. A Citizen Jury is a concept that offers regular citizens an opportunity to participate as full citizens, deliberate on themes relevant to them and contribute to the policy dialogue. This time the jury was made of diverse farmers. In this attempt, Socratus attempted to create a platform for constructive reflection and dialogue on the issues affecting the lives of the vast and diverse farmer population.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCZxZ9tXzHw&list=PL522Qk8UrtlQmvWlHwMbXX0o2r3LoHExT&index=25
India has 800 million people of employable age, a number that is estimated to reach 1100 million by 2050. More than 50% of that working population still derives livelihood from agriculture and allied activities, despite the reduction in the last two decades. Given the absence of an employment boom in other sectors, the phenomenon of jobless growth becoming a global trend and the unsustainability of massive rural to urban migration, we need to acknowledge that a large section of our population is likely to remain in agriculture and allied activities. Therefore, we should focus our economic policies to improve small farmer livelihoods, rural non-farm livelihoods and ecological sustainability.
The outlook for farmers is plagued with challenges. India has been producing an excess of wheat and rice, but it lags significantly in the overall nutrition profile. The current rate of ecological deterioration and damage is already causing problems. While prices for inputs and services are soaring, the prices for outputs don't rise in concert.
While improving farmer livelihoods is a matter of discussion, we can all agree that a dignified and secure income is the right of every hardworking agricultural household.
<aside> 💡 How do farmers envision a dignified future? What are some ways to improve their incomes and secure livelihoods sustainably? What does a dignified income mean for different categories of farmers in the country?
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To answer these questions, Socratus conducted a ‘Citizen Jury of Farmers’. This Citizen Jury is a space in which a jury composed of regular people sit in judgment on policies and other developments that affect their lives and livelihoods. The jury's views add much-needed diversity of voices to policy-making dominated by specialists. These are voices unconstrained by subject boundaries and ideologies and enriched by real-life experiences and worldviews.
The process involved in the Citizen Jury is just as important as the verdict - it evokes the collective wisdom of those who are usually denied the opportunity to stand in judgment. Therefore, the jury was comprised of farmers. Stakeholders for different policy positions - academics, farmer union members independent experts, decision makers etc - from different schools of thought are be invited to present to the jury. The jury has the ability to directly cross-examine the presenters.
Every Citizen Jury process entails the following set of important stakeholders.