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Engaging the Youth
By Professor
Gnanaharan
May 2006
Youth are emerging as a powerful economic force in the so-called “New
Economy” which is shaping the fortunes of most economies. For the first time in
the history of mankind, the young are spearheading an Industrial Revolution.
They are scripting and implementing the blueprint for success of Information
Technology and Internet, which has opened up a plethora of opportunities all
over the world. India could be considered as the only developing economy
(with the possible exception of China) to extract maximum mileage out of the
IT boom, thanks to its incredible reservoir of knowledge workers. This
definitely bodes well for the future of the Indian economy.
The Rural Challenge
But the real challenge lies in revitalizing the Rural India where more than
two-thirds of our people make a living. Over the years, the share of
agricultural sector in our GDP has come down to reach the present level of 23
percent. Its premier position has been taken away by the service sector,
which commands a share of 52 percent today, in accordance with the growing
sophistication of the Indian economy. Despite these welcome shifts in the
sectoral composition of GDP, the Rural Economy’s extent of dependence on the
agricultural sector for livelihood remains more or less unaltered.
Productivity levels on the farm front, though have been improving, its growth
rate is not sufficient enough to wipe out poverty and unemployment in the country.
Per hectare yields of most of the crops in India pales below the global
standards.Kanwal Rekhi the legendary Indian entrepreneur from the Silicon
Valley put it graphically when he was inaugurating the Chennai Chapter of the
TiE sometime ago: An average Indian farmer today produces food for
one-and-half person (including himself). Compare this with that of the
American situation where a typical farmer produces food for roughly 54 people
– by just employing 2 percent of its population”. This explains fully the
paradoxical situation, in which Indian economy is bracketed. Neither Indian
agriculture is able to make a sizeable fraction of the farming community
redundant by improving their productivity nor the non-farm sector is able to
attract them with newer income generating opportunities.
Stoop to the Bottom-Tier
What is happening is a certain amount of rural poverty is being transformed
into urban poverty year after year due to the migration of rural people. This
is not to belittle the achievement made so far by our agricultural sector.
The idea here is to highlight the challenges faced by our Rural Economy. By
virtue of its conducive agro climatic conditions, vast area of fertile lands,
fine track record of cultivating a whole range of crops and the hard working
nature of our farmers, India is tipped to become the “food basket of the
world”. To make this happen, concerted efforts from all corners – Government,
Research and Educational Institutions, Private Corporate Sector,
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the Farming Community – are the
need of the hour.
The greatest business opportunity for Indian businessmen lies in actively
taking part in the transformation of the Rural Economy. Given the demographic
profile of the Indian economy, catering to the needs of – to use the
celebrated phrase of the Strategy Guru, C.K. Prahalad – “the bottom tier of
the income pyramid” constitutes the biggest opportunity for Indian Industry
to become a Global Player in a number of industries. When talking about the
“digital divide”, Prahalad, further says: “Selling to the poor may be more
profitable than selling to you and me. This is where the future is.
Opportunities are everywhere. This digital divide is not about lack of
opportunity, it is lack of imagination”.
Problem as Opportunity
The opportunity is two-fold : to increase the productivity of the
agricultural sector, which will release a substantial segment of the farming
community, to be deployed elsewhere and creating a whole gamut of business
opportunities in the non-farm sector which will absorb the people thrown out
of the farm sector-all within the boundaries of the Rural Economy.
The problem of low productivity on the farm front can be considered as an
opportunity for the simple reason that it means bigger scope for mechanizing
and energizing farm operations; greater use of agricultural inputs and
high-yielding varieties of seeds; widespread adoption of modern cultivation
practices; even and easy access to agricultural credit, market information
and above all guaranteed market access. Success in the above areas will
invariably result in a quantum jump in yield levels of various crops, making
the economics of cultivation quite attractive and the farming community,
wealthy. By boosting the efficiency of the farm sector, a sizeable segment of
people will be released to be employed elsewhere in the non-farm sector. Here
comes the next round of opportunities – to create an array of non-farm
enterprises. This is how, the virtuous circle of prosperity can be set in
motion.
Youth Plus Technology
The problem assumes gigantic proportions because it has been eluding a happy
reversal for decades. The solution, as in most cases, is simple. Apply the
contemporary technology to solve the age-old problem. And deploy the young
people, who are at the forefront of the Technological Revolution, which is
sweeping across the world. The youth, particularly the educated youth should
be exposed to the seemingly intractable problems of the Rural Economy. This
will sensitize them to the hard realities of rural life and if they
internalize this experience, it will lead to positive change in the attitude
of the younger generation. Such a change will urge at least a few to involve
themselves in the process of rural rejuvenation.
Some will view the socioeconomic ailments like illiteracy, malnutrition,
unemployment, poverty etc. as a big business opportunity and start solving
the problems through commercial ventures. Few may take this as a wonderful
opportunity to serve the society and help the rural poor cross these economic
hurdles by starting some social enterprises. However, most of them may seek
opportunities either in Government or in the booming New Economy sectors in
the urban areas. But they are most likely to do something tangible when they
are in a position to contribute. People who end up working for organizations
– Government as well as Private – which in some way or the other come into
contact with rural people will display an intense commitment and passionate
involvement while discharging their duties. The experience is most likely to
provoke them at some stage in their life to do something concretely for the
betterment of the less privileged sections of the society, as an act of
gratitude.
Stated differently, students who have undergone the “Rural Immersion”
Programme can be expected to contribute to the Rural Rejuvenation, in the
following ways, depending on their career choice. This is briefly summarized
below :
1. Students who opt for careers, which do not have any direct relevance to
the Rural Sector, may do something for them during the latter part of their
life i.e. when they are in a position to spare their expertise, time or
financial resources.
2. Students who pursue a career in Government or any other sector, which
addresses the concerns of rural people, are expected to apply their head and
heart while discharging their duties.
3. Students, who see rural problems as commercial opportunities, start
ventures aimed at solving such problems.
4. Students who are moved by the sufferings of the rural people, and want to
make a difference to their lives, do so by becoming Development Activists, or
starting social ventures / Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) etc.
Mandatory Rural Immersion
This kind of a scenario is not just a wishful thinking. A number of Indian
businessmen who made fortunes in America, Europe and elsewhere are showing
their gratitude to the motherland, in a number of ways. People like Kanwal Rekhi,
K.B. Chandrasekar et all are getting multiplied day by day. What we need
today is, like our NRIs who aspire to do something for their country when
they become rich, people leading comfortable lives in urban areas should
start contributing to the development of our Rural Economy. After all most
people can trace their roots to these villages.
In richer countries, sizeable segment of affluent people make contributions
for philanthropic purposes, as a way of life. To inculcate such an attitude,
some kind of “Rural Immersion Programme” should take place at the time of
their college education on a compulsory basis. It is not difficult to come
out with an appropriate mechanism, through which such a Programme can be
implemented.
War and Poverty
Using youth power for national priority is not something new. A number of
small countries, even today ask their young people to serve in the military
services on a mandatory basis. In some of these countries, even women are
expected to fulfill this condition. The rationale behind such a move is
simple and straightforward: war is considered as the most dangerous threat
confronting a nation, capable of decimating a number of lives. The same logic
can be applied to problems like poverty, malnutrition, incidence of fatal diseases
like AIDS, etc. The net result in both the cases is the same : casualty of
people. As a matter of fact, the socioeconomic problems like poverty have far
more serious consequences than occurrence of war. For, in the case of wars,
mostly soldiers get killed whereas in the case of poverty and malnutrition,
innocent people including children become the victims.
Moreover, while war with an another country almost invariably raises the
patriotic spirit of the people and help channelise their energies for strengthening
of their economic and military might, problems like poverty dissipates human
energy and motivation, making them incapable of achieving anything. Above all
if the problem remains unsolved for longer spell of time, it will result in
political strife, social disorder etc. Therefore, there is a pressing need to
treat problems like poverty on par with outbreak of wars.
Reinvent and Reorient
A valid case can be built for involving youth in making a dent on these
problems. Even institutions like World Bank, which was basically created to
reconstruct the war-ravaged economies, have reinvented themselves and
reoriented their objectives to attack economic problems like poverty. Our
failure in making doctors serve in rural areas, for a fixed number of years
on a compulsory basis, should not deter our policy-makers from experimenting
this Programme. What we need is a scheme or a system, which will ensure 100
percent success in such an endeavour.
There are a number of other reasons, which favour such a mandatory “Immersion
into Rural Economy” as part of the curriculum in College Education in our
country. Giving an opportunity for the students to use their ideas and
energies at their most creative stages in life will definitely go a long way
in changing the destiny of our rural people. Moreover, today’s youth possess
a number of attributes, which will help achieve the national agenda.
Use or Lose
Failure to do this will leave most of their potential untapped and our dreams
unfulfilled. The loser is not our youth alone but the entire country. As Shiv
Khera, the world-renowned trainer puts it succinctly : “Youth may not
constitute hundred percent of our population, but hundred percent of our
future depends on them”. So, the need of the hour is to engage them productively
in rejuvenating our Rural Economy. Otherwise, something else – as it has been
already happening in some measure or other – will engage them, spelling
further doom and gloom for the economy as a whole.
P.S.
This article was originally written sometime during 2000 with the view to get
it published and make this as a Project to be implemented among final year
College Students. Though it remains unpublished, the blogger is convinced
about its relavance even today. The only change effected here relates to the
scope of the Project i.e., instead of limiting to Rural Economy, it can be
applied to the problems of the entire economy.
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