Was communication the biggest failure in farm laws being repealed?

India saw a year long protest over the central government's efforts to reform the agriculture sector. There were several reasons on why the government backed down and finally withdrew the implementation of the three controversial farm bills. 

Lack of stakeholder consultation, ambiguity in implementation, fear of corporatization, weakened MSP safeguards and political opposition. 

But it's the communication, or the lack of it, that I wanted delve more into.

Effective communication is crucial in the implementation of any policy, especially one as sensitive as agricultural reform. 

The government's failure to effectively communicate the benefits of the farm bills and address the concerns of the farming community exacerbated the mistrust between the two parties. This communication gap allowed misinformation to spread, further intensifying the protests.

While the intention behind agricultural reforms may have been noble, the implementation process fell short of addressing the genuine apprehensions of the farming community.

The government's attitude of bulldozing its way into passing the bills with an absolute disregard to parliamentary procedure and lack of public consultation created a cloud of suspicion rather than trust. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill was passed in nine minutes in the Rajya Sabha and just three minutes in the Lok Sabha, meaning Parliament did little to fulfil its role of holding discussions on the proposed bill.

The vilification of farmers - where farmers were called khalistanis, stalled discussions, and the heavy-handed response from security forces led to a trust deficit between the two sides.

Communication breakdowns were also evident in the form of clashes between protestors and law enforcement, further escalating tensions. The situation was complex, involving economic, social, and political dimensions.

The perception that the government had not adequately consulted with the farmers and other stakeholders before implementing the reforms. The lack of consultation and dialogue led to a trust deficit between the government and the farming community.

Moving forward, any attempts at agricultural reform must prioritize inclusivity, clear communication, and a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by the farmers to ensure the sustainable development of the agricultural sector.