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By:

Pearl Noronha

31 March 2025 at 3:13:45 pm

Selling Goa, Piece by Piece

What nature takes centuries to build can be destroyed in years and once lost, it is rarely recovered. If you think the battle for land belongs to history, think again. In ancient times, kingdoms and nations fought wars over territory because land meant power, survival, wealth and control. That struggle has not disappeared; it has simply changed form. In Goa, the fight for land continues without armies or swords. Today, paperwork, zoning changes, permissions, speculative deals and luxury...

Selling Goa, Piece by Piece

What nature takes centuries to build can be destroyed in years and once lost, it is rarely recovered. If you think the battle for land belongs to history, think again. In ancient times, kingdoms and nations fought wars over territory because land meant power, survival, wealth and control. That struggle has not disappeared; it has simply changed form. In Goa, the fight for land continues without armies or swords. Today, paperwork, zoning changes, permissions, speculative deals and luxury developments have become the new weapons. What was once seized by force is now often taken through approvals, conversions and concrete. Goa has long been both a magnet for conquerors and a refuge for those seeking peace. Across centuries, different cultures have called this land home, drawn not just by its strategic value but also by its seashores, green hills, rivers, flora and fauna. These are not empty stretches of land waiting to be turned into plots. They are part of what makes Goa what it is. At a time when climate stress is no longer a distant concern, such landscapes matter more than ever. Forests, fields, rivers and hills are not disposable spaces, but vital ecological assets that help protect against heat, flooding, erosion and environmental decline. Goa is not the holiday capital of India by accident. Its appeal lies in its small historic homes, low-rise residences, open spaces, green rolling hills and, above all, in the fact that it does not resemble the concrete-heavy urban landscapes many seek to escape. Goa’s charm lies in its difference. Yet that very difference is now under threat. In the name of development, the state is being pushed towards the same model of overbuilding that has diminished so many other places. This may be marketed as progress, but too often it looks more like destruction in slow motion. The real question is whether we are building for the needs of Goa’s people, or for a second-home market driven by wealth, prestige and speculation. Development in Goa should first serve the people who live there. But much of what is being built today seems aimed less at local housing needs and more at a second-home market driven by investment, prestige and short-term rental returns. Many of these homes stay shut for much of the year, existing more as assets than as part of a real community. The ecological cost, however, is constant: land is consumed, trees are cut, concrete spreads, and precious water is drawn into projects that add little to Goa’s daily life. A luxury home that remains locked for most of the year may flatter its owner, but it does not justify the burden it places on the land and resources around it. In recent years, Goa’s much-debated ‘16B conversions’ have come to represent a wider problem: land once valued for its ecological or agricultural role can be rapidly reclassified as real estate. For many residents of Goa, these are not abstract concerns but everyday realities: power cuts, water shortages and the steady inconvenience of weak civic planning. These are not rare disruptions but a routine part of life in far too many areas. Public transport remains sparse and unreliable, while pedestrian infrastructure is so neglected that pavements often feel like an afterthought. In many places, even a short walk can be unsafe, pushing households towards two-wheelers for the most basic errands. If the government is already struggling to provide essential services and safe mobility to existing residents, on what basis does it justify approving developments that place even greater strain on already stretched resources? The government should not treat Goa’s land as something to be sold off in the name of development. Its job is to protect what makes this state worth living in. We are only custodians of this land, not its permanent owners. What we erase in one generation may be impossible for the next to recover. Goa does need to grow and improve, but that growth must respect the limits of its water, its roads, its green spaces and the character that makes it unlike anywhere else. No one is asking for Goa to remain frozen in time. But it should not be turned into another overbuilt city that loses its soul in the process. Goa must become a better Goa, not a poorer version of the places people came here to escape.

Ploughing Through the Problems

India’s agricultural story is one of paradoxes. Despite employing nearly half the workforce and contributing 16 percent to GDP, the sector lags behind industry and services in growth. Once dependent on food imports, India became self-sufficient in grains thanks to the Green Revolution. But in 2024, its agriculture still struggles with stagnant productivity, declining groundwater levels, and the challenges of small landholdings. Unless policymakers address these structural issues, India’s food security and rural livelihoods will remain precarious.


Spanning 328.7 million hectares, India’s landmass is among the largest in the world, with 54.8 percent devoted to farming. Yet, productivity remains low. Between 2001-02 and 2022-23, agriculture grew at an average of 3 percent annually, while the economy expanded by 7 percent. Food grain production has risen, but except for sugarcane, India’s crop yields in 2022-23 still trailed the global average.


Despite a budgetary allocation of Rs. 3 trillion, including Rs 1.37 trillion for agricultural development and Rs. 1.67 trillion in fertilizer subsidies, government spending has not translated into proportional gains. A primary culprit is the highly fragmented nature of landholdings. As of 2015-16, 68 percent of farms were smaller than one hectare, with the average size declining from 1.23 hectares in 2005-06 to 1.08 hectares a decade later. Small farms hinder mechanization, limit economies of scale, and restrict access to quality inputs.


Recognizing the issue, policymakers have attempted solutions like Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), which help small farmers aggregate resources, reduce costs, and negotiate better prices. Launched in 2020, the government’s scheme to create 10,000 FPOs with Rs 6,865 crore in funding was achieved by February 2025. A study in Maharashtra found that FPO members benefited from a 22 percent improvement in price realization and a 30 percent reduction in marketing costs. However, only 20 lakh farmers have enrolled, a fraction of the 130 million farmers nationwide. Stronger state-level participation is needed to expand its reach.


Water Woes

Irrigation remains another major challenge. Of India’s net sown area, 55 percent is still rain-fed, leaving crops vulnerable to erratic monsoons. Where irrigation does exist, it is skewed—63 percent relies on groundwater extraction, while canal irrigation accounts for just 24 percent. Unchecked extraction has led to depleting water tables, particularly in Punjab, Haryana, and Maharashtra, where water-intensive crops such as rice and sugarcane dominate.


Government policies often exacerbate the problem. Free electricity and water subsidies encourage inefficient usage, benefiting politically influential states while depriving others. A study by the Central Ground Water Board projects that Punjab’s groundwater levels could plummet by 1,000 feet by 2039, a looming ecological disaster.


To counter this, the government has expanded the Per Crop More Drop scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, spending Rs. 50,000 crore since 2015. Its 2025-26 budget of Rs. 8,500 crore is the highest yet, benefiting 4.8 million farmers. But irrigation expansion, primarily a state responsibility, has been hampered by bureaucratic delays, corruption, and intergovernmental friction. While projects like the Bhakra Nangal and Sardar Sarovar dams transformed agriculture in Punjab and Gujarat, many initiatives remain stuck in political quicksand.


Another neglected aspect of agricultural reform is seed quality. The Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI) committee estimates that better seeds alone could boost yields by 15 to 20 percent. Yet, the seed replacement rate—a key indicator of improved crop genetics—remains at just 40 percent for major crops. Without wider adoption of high-yield varieties, productivity gains will remain sluggish.


Modernization efforts are similarly lagging. Despite mechanization programs and technology subsidies, only large farms benefit, while smallholders continue using outdated methods. Investment in agri-tech startups and digital platforms could help bridge this gap, but adoption has been slow outside major farming states.


Political Tangle

Agricultural reform in India is often hostage to politics. Attempts to overhaul outdated policies, such as the controversial 2020 farm laws, have met with fierce resistance. While the laws aimed to liberalize agricultural markets, the government’s abrupt withdrawal following protests underscored the difficulty of reforming India’s farm sector. Yet, without bold policy changes, the sector will continue to suffer from inefficiencies that hinder its long-term viability.


India’s agricultural success has long been built on resilience. But resilience alone will not secure the future. Without tackling land fragmentation, improving irrigation, encouraging better seed adoption, and reforming subsidy regimes, the country’s farming sector risks stagnation. India needs not just higher yields but smarter policies that put the farmer, not politics, at the centre of agricultural growth.


(The author is a Chartered Accountant with a leading company in Mumbai. Views personal.)

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