Indian farmer: M R Sorathia

My name is Megjibhai Ramjibhai Sorathia and I live in Nagor in Gujarat.

WORKERS' LIVES Name: Megjibhai Ramjibhai Sorathia Lives: Nagor Works: Farmer Watch video diary

My parents and grandparents were farmers and I have been farming for 35 years. I work all day, up until seven or eight o'clock in the evening.

My biggest problem is electricity - the supply is very irregular. We do not have enough rain so we rely on electricity to irrigate the fields.

We have power for only six or seven hours a day so we can't complete watering.

We can't do proper farming without water and electricity. Water is a must for a good crop.

We grow mustard seeds, castor seeds, cotton, wheat, barley and vegetables and we also look after animals at the same time.

Whatever we manage to grow, we are not getting the full price from the market for our crops. The price we are paid is lower than our costs so we end up making a loss.

But if we do not farm, what else can we do? Our only business is farming - we don't know anything else. This way, at least we will eat.

I have to look for the future for my children. I have to see what else they can do apart from farming. My life is almost over now. What else can I wish for?

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Your comments:

This is the sad truth indeed. The glitter of city life ignores this. Millions still live a hand to mouth existence in India, with not even basic facilities or medical care.
Prasad, Delhi

I have made frequent visits to India in last 3-4 years. Economic growth is said to be booming but in real terms not all are benefiting. Mainly the upper level, the rich sector has become richer while the people like Megjibhai and many others are still at the same level, or worse. I saw nice roads all around; improvement in communication, nice malls and more westernisation but the basic quality of life has not changed. Of course the people who were rich, have powers are more powerful now. Still lack of water for drinking, schools for education & medical facilities for even basic problems in all rural areas are same.
Naren Acharya, Kingston, Canada

I have read each of these stories and think it's interesting that the workers from industry or technology have a very hopeful outlook but the farmers really don't. I certainly hope that these giant "economies" have not left out food production in their planning. It's well known now that the farming practices of agri-business leave land depleted or totally infertile, and industry has definitely not been friendly to the ecosystem. It is my hope for the whole world that all economies, great and small, wake up and realize that we need to be very careful with our food production, and that we need to give farmers a respected place in society - they are after all literally feeding us.
Annie, San Francisco, CA

It's amazing to see lots of messages for Prachi's (IT girl from India) story, and no messages for this farmers story. 70% of India lives in rural areas. As per government's own admission, over 100,000 farmers have committed suicide in the last 5 years. Before I point fingers I, too, am ashamed of how involved I am in contributing to effecting a change. I hope whoever is reading this takes time to help out with social work projects in India.
Chaturg, Maryland, US (Pune-India)

Farmers all across the world are telling this story lately. I suppose it's a mix of globalisation and new technology making a lot of farmers quite unnecessary. A sad situation. What are we going to do with all these people? Can we really keep coming up with jobs to replace the old?!
Anon

These people work to their full potential, they literally bleed to death to feed their families. As for us westerners, we just sit and have it easy (well, sort of!). It is more than time for these peoples lives got better. I wish everybody on earth had the chance to break free from this circle of poverty.
Pamela Morin, Montreal, Canada

This old man is one of those people who got a chance to speak to BBC. Like him there are millions of farmers in India. Nobody bothers about farmers. Poor will stay poor, rich will make money. The educated move out of this country, the poor remain. Where do India's educated brains go? Why can't they help their own farmers? Nobody cares. Politicians don't care. It is Darwin's "survival of the fittest" in India.
Suresh Gejji, Bangalore

India's emerging food processing industry offers new growth and profit potential for India's farmers. Megjibhai should activate the cooperative of which he is a member, and plan forward integration with industrial and urban links. Megjibhai is entitled to generous grants and loans to install sustainable energy systems on his farms, and to invest in drip irrigation as well. He is, at the end of the day, a failure of India's agricultural extension machinery, for he seems to remain unaware of the support and opportunities open to him. His assigned Village Level Worker, Block Development Officer, District Agricultural Officer and District Lead Bank should be held accountable.
Dr S Banerji, Mumbai, India