Farmer Power: The 2020-21 Movement, The State And Agricultural Reforms In India

Farmer Power chronicles the historic 2020–21 farmers’ movement, when nearly 300,000 Indian farmers marched to New Delhi and camped on national highways for over a year to protest against three new farm laws. This unprecedented assertion of democratic rights, civil disobedience, and peaceful resistance carved out a distinct political space and marked a turning point in global social movements. The book traces the evolution of this struggle, its roots in decades of neglected agricultural issues, and the unique factors that made it a landmark moment. It also examines broader challenges in India’s agricultural sector—small and marginal farmers, agricultural laborers, procurement systems—and evaluates policy interventions over the past two decades. Meticulously researched and deeply analytical, Farmer Power is essential reading for anyone interested in the politics of agriculture, rural livelihoods, and social movements. Sudhir Kumar Suthar, a prolific writer and faculty member at Jawaharlal Nehru University, brings his expertise on development, rural change, and public policy to this comprehensive account.