CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2017
| Author | Haldule, Saee Shrikant |
|---|---|
| Title | Seeds of Disenchantment: Seed networks in the Indian state of Maharashtra |
| Summary | This thesis is a concise, in-depth study of the interconnections between individual, community as well as co-operative seed bank initiatives that have gradually been taking root mainly in the Indian state of Maharashtra, which is one of the epicentres of the mammoth agrarian crisis that India has been facing during the past decade. This research has been conducted on the basis of the understanding that the social as well as economic implications of such (seed) networks are numerous and multifarious, which makes it imperative to investigate their potential to be a pivot for change through serving as instruments for a more consumer/ farmer friendly policy formulation. The following analysis is based on an examination of the connections between (a) the gradual privatization of the public sector domain fostering introduction of non-indigenous varieties of seeds(b) farmer suicides in the state (c) the aforementioned seed bank initiatives. It is essential to understand these connections so as to unravel the reasons for and the extent of the gross transgression of the fundamental right(s) of not only farmers, but also citizens and consumers can be gauged. The past two decades have seen a notable rise in awareness regarding farmers’ rights and farmer networking through national and regional NGOs/ NPOs in India. Seed banks started by such organizations are bringing together farmers from all strata, and creating an egalitarian (as well as socially and politically rebellious) platform of/for networking. In the light of this, the following paper also investigates whether these seed bank initiatives have been undertaken as retaliatory defensive measures against the aforementioned exploitative legislations. This is examined using a theoretical framework based on Political Ecology (PE) and Environmental Justice (EJ) literature to examine the struggle over control and access of resources, change in power relations and marginality as a policy-induced construct. |
| Supervisor | Aistara, Guntra, Anda |
| Department | Environment Sciences and Policy MSc |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2017/haldule_saee.pdf |
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