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(Interview) On using comics to explain agricultural concepts

  • The new graphic novel “Food & Farming” examines numerous problems in the Indian food and farming system and their impact on various stakeholders.
  • In this interview, the authors of the book talk about the ‘Right to Food’, Public Distribution System (PDS), National Food Security Act, Mid-Day Meal Scheme, farmers’ struggle, Minimum Support Price (MSP) and other issues covered in the book.
  • The book also proposes solutions, such as universalizing distribution systems and standardizing product prices.

Do you ever sit and think about the food on your plate? How did it come to you and who are the people who made it possible? Why is more than 15% of India’s population undernourished? Such relevant questions related to food and the “right to food” guaranteed in the Indian Constitution are addressed in the new graphic novel. Food and Agricultureby Orijit Sen, Vidyun Sabhaney and Harsho Mohan Chattoraj.

Published by Left Word Books, the 240-page graphic novel explores aspects of agriculture and food security through two characters – Soni and Lucky – who travel to different parts of the country. Soni and Lucky interact with farmers, collectors, anganwadi workers, community leaders, teachers, food vendors, ration shop owners, supermarket employees, transport workers and many others to understand issues ranging from the Public Distribution System (PDS), the National Food Security Act and the school midday meal scheme to farmers’ struggles and the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The idea for the book came from the webcomic series the authors published in 2022 in response to the farmers’ protests in North India against the three agrarian reform laws. The series was commissioned by Focus on the Global South, a policy think tank that provides analysis and develops alternatives for equitable social, economic and political change. The aim of this initiative was to raise awareness about the agriculture and food distribution system.

“The storyline is built around verifiable facts and studies,” says co-author Vidyun Sabhaney, a writer and illustrator who has published research-based anthologies, in an interview with Mongabay India.

To make these complex topics more accessible, co-author Orijit Sen, a graphic artist, came up with the idea of ​​using real characters and situations instead of abstract ideas and numbers. “Visually, you can show what people look like, what they are wearing, where they are, how big their commitment is and so on. This conveys a message to people on many levels,” says Sen. He believes that comics help people understand a concept in a way that reading nonfiction texts or research papers cannot.

The cover of the book “Food and Farming.” Image from Left Word Books.

Food inequality

With this book, the authors aim to address the structural injustice regarding the “right to food” in India. According to Sabhaney, this inequality became even more evident during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, when millions were forced to walk home to avoid starving in the cities they had moved to in search of work. “This is an indictment of our existing systems and a reflection of a deeply unequal society,” says Sabhaney.

The overarching theme of the book is the Public Distribution System (PDS) as we encounter problems like hunger and poverty. It highlights that India ranks 101st out of 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2021, despite 800 million people in India receiving free rations under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana scheme, which was launched during the pandemic and continues to this day.

Sabhaney identifies the reasons for these gaps. “One key gap we found is that the PDS is not universal. Those who need rations often do not have access to the system,” she says. She also points out that the data is outdated as the poverty line linked to access to benefits has not been adjusted since 2011. Sometimes beneficiaries do not have the required documents or there are issues related to linking the PDS with the Aadhar card. According to a 2020 study, an estimated 28.5 million people were under-served by the PDS in Uttar Pradesh alone.

In addition to these formalities of access, nutrition is also not taken into account. Through the PDS, beneficiaries receive rice and wheat, which is not a balanced diet that should ideally include pulses, vegetables, fruits and more. “All these things are expensive,” explains Sabhaney.

In the chapter “Pandemic and Hunger,” the book “Food and Farming” reflects on the situation of daily wage workers and other marginalized communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Image by Left Word Books.
In the chapter “Pandemic and Hunger,” the book “Food and Farming” reflects on the situation of daily wage workers and other marginalized communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Image by Left Word Books.

Food and Agriculture highlights that the majority of workers in India earn less than Rs 10,000 a month, leaving a large portion of the population at risk of hunger. “This is even more true after the Covid-19 lockdown and the economic hardship it brought,” adds Sabhaney.

In the chapter “Pandemic and Hunger”, the book looks at the situation of daily wage workers and other marginalized communities during the Covid-19 pandemic, stating that around 230 million people fell below the national minimum wage threshold due to the economic hardship caused by the brutal lockdown.

It also shows that, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), over 10,000 farmers committed suicide due to debt in 2020 alone, and according to UNICEF, 82,000 children under the age of five died of malnutrition in 2018. “This is a disturbing statistic and should worry us all,” explains Sabhaney. “Both figures paint a very grim picture of inequality in our country. We need to go beyond just looking at these numbers and understand what this means for people who have lost or are at risk of losing their loved ones.”

Problems with privatization

Food and Agriculture also addresses another important issue – the privatization of the food system. The Mid Day Meal Scheme, a school feeding program designed to improve both children’s nutrition and school attendance, was first introduced in 1995 and included in the National Food Security Act in 2013. In 2021, the scheme was renamed PM-POSHAN Scheme. About 120 million children in government schools and educational institutions benefit from the scheme.

The authors write: “In many states, food preparation has been handed over to corporations and NGOs that run central kitchens. This means that the food is neither fresh nor locally produced, although both are necessary for a nutritious meal.” However, this privatization is facing resistance in many states across the country.

“One of the program’s goals was to provide employment to Dalit and Adivasi women. Privatization puts many of these workers at risk of losing their jobs,” the authors write.

The authors of the book “Food & Farming” criticize the privatization of the lunch system in comics. Image by Left Word Books.
The authors of the book Food & Farming criticize the privatization of the midday meal system, saying that food preparation is handed over to corporations and NGOs that run central kitchens, meaning the food is neither fresh nor locally produced, although both are necessary for a nutritious meal. Image from Left Word Books.

Sabhaney points out that the midday meal programme is also a source of employment for women, along with Anganwadi and ASHA workers. “These three form an important support system in the villages and privatisation could lead to both loss of livelihood for women and the collapse of an important knowledge network within the village communities,” she says.

In addition, the food preferences of the operators of these private establishments could influence what is served to the children. The book mentions how in some states, the provision of eggs, which are a great source of protein for children, has been eliminated in midday meals. It also says that according to economist Jean Dreze, the budget allocation for the midday meal program was cut by 32.3% between the years 2014 and 2021. It suggests planning meals scientifically with the help of nutritionists, with an emphasis on local foods.

Further criticism and suggestions

Discussion on the decision to grant private companies access to farmers’ land ownership data, Food and Agriculture stresses that it is not clear how this data will be protected. Sen adds: “It is quite irresponsible of the government to privatise aspects of food safety because you cannot leave that to the corporations. They are not responsible for the whole country. They can fail at any time.”

(Interview) On using comics to explain agricultural concepts
“Food & Farming” looks at the lack of seed diversity in the country and discusses the impact of big agribusiness on prices. Image by Left Word Books.

The book also sheds light on monopolization, intellectual property rights and the big agribusiness that promotes commercial seeds, chemical inputs and monocultures in agriculture. It states: “Just nine species account for 66% of the world’s crops. A lack of seed diversity leaves us vulnerable to multiple crises, such as climate variability.”

The last chapter of the book lists some workable solutions to the problems raised. The authors suggest universalising the public distribution system (PDS) to provide easy access and expanding production to include various food items and not just cereals. This would help farmers grow a wider variety of crops and improve their income. Sabhaney says, “In this context, the government needs to enforce minimum support price (MSP) for a wider number and variety of crops, which is a long-standing demand of farmers.”


Read more: Government support and investor interest in agritech could boost India’s agricultural sector


Banner image: An illustration from the book Food and Agriculture. Image from Left Word Books.



By Bronte

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