More than 200 sharecroppers and activists from all over the State participated in a consultation on security and compensation on crop loss for farmers organised by the All India People’s Forum (AIPF) at the Nagabhusan Bhawan here on Sunday. Sharecropper Hari Samal, a resident of Dhinkia village in Jagatsinghpur district said, “We are unlikely to get proper compensation from the Government for our crop loss.” The Government should identify sharecroppers through the Panchayati Raj Institutions and Agriculture and Revenue Department officials, said an organiser, Mahindra Parida. The Government should also bring amendment in revenue laws to allow formal agreements between land owners and share croppers, he said. He said the sharecroppers should be recognised as actual farmers and the Government should extend all possible support including compensation, loan, crop insurance, seed and fertiliser. The increasing rate of farmers’ suicide in the State is appalling and the Government has failed to provide adequate infrastructure, delivery mechanism and protection measures like irrigation facilities and insurance to farmers, especially to sharecroppers, AIPF members alleged. Source - http://www.dailypioneer.com