Pinheiro, No matter how you (or Soter) attempt to slice and dice it - the fact remains that the obsolete labor intensive methods of agriculture cannot survive without low cost labor. If in case you missed it, I vaguely mentioned it on the subject header. Unless you wish to invent a backwards time machine, it is highly unlikely you will get cheap Goan labor in the future.
I also agree with you and Soter that the solution to the problem of high food prices - is even higher cost, low volume agricultural practices. You suggested subsidies for farmers to enhance more agriculture. Presumably the money for this would also grow in the paddy fields. As for Parrikar, the hindi speaking pseudo Goan migrant who has a penchant for picturesque verbal diarrhea, may I suggest he use his dung to promote sustainable agriculture in Soter's and Pinheiro's communes. Marlon ________________________________ From: pinheiro <gift.pinhe...@gmail.com> Back then (before 90's) the paddy cultivation in Goan households was more of family and neighbors affair. Back then, the Family structure was not as we see it today (1 or 2 kids) as most families had four or more children or they were living with extended families. Did some wrote on this forum that he cannot see many pregnant ladies in Goa. The field work was carried out by within each house hold or in barter system. The people use to work in each others fields (no money paid) even if outside labour was used, they were paid in kind (paddy) not cash. With the change in lifestyle and thanks to faulty education system the paddy cultivation and agriculture as a whole is on decline. Successive government failed to come with sustainable agricultural policies. Cumminidade land gifted to tiller who have no interest in paddy cultivation or any other crop. One solution for revival of paddy cultivation would be formation of co-operative movement and then government extending support to them by give free or subsidies to buy small / medium size machines to till and harvest paddy. ________________________________ From: Rajan P. Parrikar <parri...@yahoo.com> Translation: Although I, Marlon "I-know-how-to-spell" Menezes, got called out bullsh*tting on matters I know nothing about, I will continue to make an ass of myself in a public forum. Marlon-bhaiyya (as in UP "bhaiyya") should wonder no more. Big daddy P is related to me, as is potato-head Digu.