What was the main focus of Verghese Kurien’s speech?
The main focus of Verghese Kurien’s speech was to inspire the graduating students to look forward to the future and to prepare them for the challenges that they will face in the real world. He also discussed his involvement in a new institutional structure for agricultural development and its implications.
Who did Verghese Kurien get involved with in Kaira District and what did they believe could strengthen the farmers’ position?
Verghese Kurien worked with Shri Tribhuvandas Patel and others in Kaira District, Gujarat. They believed that farmers could become stronger by working together, which turned out to be true. They found out that rural communities could become a big dairy enterprise by supporting production, processing, and marketing of dairy products. They also realized that the farmers needed the expertise of professional management to represent their interests honestly, persistently, and with integrity.
What was the outcome of the success of the dairy farmers’ co-operatives in Kaira District and neighbouring areas of Gujarat?
The dairy farmers’ co-operatives in Kaira District were successful, and soon other areas in Gujarat asked for help to organize their dairy farmers. This led to the formation of the National Dairy Development Board on the request of the then Prime Minister, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri. The establishment of the National Dairy Development Board eventually led to Operation Flood, which aimed to organize dairy farmers into co-operatives across the country.
What is Operation Flood?
Operation Flood is a program that transformed dairy production in India and is known as the “White Revolution”. It aimed to organize dairy farmers into co-operatives on a national level, which led to higher incomes for farmers and moderate price increases for consumers. The program also created a group of farmers who could effectively participate in the democratic process by exerting pressure in their own interest, and the program was managed professionally and efficiently.
What has been the opposition to Operation Flood?
The revolution has faced opposition from politicians, bureaucrats, middlemen, merchants, traders, advanced dairying countries, multinational food companies, and some social scientists. These groups have failed in their opposition to the program due to the fact that farmers have organized and found support from people in high places who welcome the poor to the arena of democratic decision making.
What changes are being made to the co-operative movement and why?
Efforts are being made to update and make the co-operative movement more democratic, with a focus on professional management. This is because co-operatives are viewed as powerful tools for social and economic progress. The goal is to remove government control and give co-operatives back to their members, and to strengthen their structure so that they can better help poor rural producers in India. The speaker hopes that these changes will inspire people to assist rural producers and take advantage of opportunities in the countryside.
