The COCOMI Farmers’ Wing has warned of an intensified agitation if the grievances of farmers affected by the ongoing conflict are not discussed during the current Assembly session, particularly their inability to access and cultivate farmlands and the pending compensation for uncultivated agricultural land.
In a statement, the Farmers’ Wing said farmers in peripheral areas have remained unable to cultivate their fields since May 3, 2023, due to the prevailing conflict, claiming that many farmlands remain inaccessible even in the ongoing agricultural season.
The organisation alleged that the government has so far failed to take adequate measures to address the difficulties faced by farmers in accessing their agricultural land.
While compensation for uncultivated land for 2023 has been distributed, the Farmers’ Wing said several farmlands in Ekou-Yenkhoman area of Imphal East, belonging to farmers currently staying as internally displaced persons (IDPs), have not received compensation.
It said farming was not merely a means of producing food for family consumption, as income from paddy production also supported children’s education and other essential household expenses. The inability to cultivate their land for four consecutive years has pushed many economically vulnerable farmers into severe distress, it added.
The Farmers’ Wing further expressed disappointment that the issue of farmers being unable to cultivate their fields and the distribution of compensation had not been taken up for discussion during the ongoing Assembly session.
According to the organisation, affected farmers and the COCOMI Farmers’ Wing had made preparations to launch a protest against the government over the issue. The proposed protest was, however, temporarily postponed in view of the ongoing public movement demanding that no census be conducted without implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The Farmers’ Wing warned that if the farmers’ grievances were not discussed in the current Assembly session, it would launch an intensified agitation along with the farming community.
It appealed to representatives of both the ruling and opposition parties to take up the issue in the House and ensure compensation for crisis-affected farmers for 2024 and 2025. It also urged the government to take concrete measures to enable farmers to freely access and cultivate their own land.
Describing farmland as the “lifeblood” of farmers, the organisation said losing agricultural land was tantamount to losing their livelihood and appealed to the elected representatives to intervene to alleviate the suffering of the farming community.