Co-operation and Agriculture

I am highly obliged to Mr. Krishnamurthi Rao and, through him, to the Madras Agricutural Students' Union for having allowed me to place a few thoughts before you on this occasion, touching the relationship that ought to exist between the Depart- ment of Agriculture and of Co-operation. That means things are not quite what they should be, and it is needless to mince matters. Both these labour pretty much in the same field of activity-the Rural side of India. Both have similar or same aims before them that of making the ryot thrive. We differ only in the means employed. Your aim is to better Agriculture and you set before yourselves the finding out of methods by which the soil may be improved, the supply of water ensured, the manure made nutritious, the implements rendered efficient and cheap, the seeds 'fattened, noxious weeds and 'puchis' exterminated and the labourer's toil rewarded with bumper harvests. We propose to find for the ryot the wherewithal to do all or some of these things in the usual course. You make various kinds of experiments to ensure particular results and, when you are satisfied that this or that measure may safely be recommended to the ryot for adoption, you send out a subordinate or two to persuade people here and there to adopt your ways. Generally, the adoption of these ways means money and we trouble to find that for the ryot on fair terms. We were both born about the same time and are of the same age now.