Hundreds of thousands of protestors have been taking to the streets in India’s capital, New Delhi, in protest of a new agricultural bill. This bill was passed in September of 2020 and has sparked fears of income instability among India’s farming population, which is approximately 70% of the country’s rural population.

The bill had no mention of MSP (minimum support price) and legalized direct deals with corporations. Though this was purportedly to allow farmers to control the price of their crops, it has harmed farmers and caused panic within the farming community. The farmers believe that the government is trying to evade their duty of providing MSP and is helping corporations, adding to the anger that has been building up in the farming community for decades.

So what exactly do the farmers fear, and why? The lack of MSP removes the minimum profit protections of their crops. MSP is especially useful during fluctuations in crop prices and provides a sense of stability for the farmer population. Without this protection, farmers fear that they will lose that sense of stability. According to India Today, there is currently no obligation to provide MSP. If a correction is made and the bill includes MSP, much of the current situation could be diffused as there would be a layer of protection for the farmers.

The other issue caused by the emergence of this bill is the lack of infrastructure regarding direct sales with corporations. While the goal of the bill was to open the market for farmers beyond the state-provided Mandi system, the lack of a definite structure allows corporations to easily take advantage of farmers. Adding more regulations would protect the farmers from corruption and ensure that they can determine their own crop prices.

Why exactly does this affect us? The protests in India have spread around the world, and thousands of people are spreading awareness through social media platforms. Even with growing awareness of the farmers’ predicament, however, it is still difficult to grasp the scale of this problem. India provides around ¼ of the world’s produce and is also the leading source of grains, chili, turmeric, dairy and ginger in the world. According to Spices Board India, India provides 68% of the world’s spices. With increasing farmer suicide rates and growing anger within the farming community, India’s agricultural output may decrease significantly. It’s in everyone’s best interest that India’s farming community remains intact, as we all depend on their hard work. To best ensure the safety of the farmers, adding regulations will protect them from corporations and truly give them power over their own livelihoods, as well as giving the rest of the world some peace of mind.