Indian farmers lead historic struggle for Food Sovereignty, Anti-fascism, Democracy and Human Rights

Friends of the Earth International expresses solidarity with Indian farmers protesting against three new farm laws enacted in 2020, which the organization and farmers argue promote the corporatisation of agriculture and threaten food sovereignty.

• Since August 2020, numerous farmers' organisations in India have protested three new farm laws passed in September 2020. Protesters argue these laws will deregulate minimum support prices, remove stockpiling limits on agricultural commodities, and bypass state-regulated markets, leading to corporate control of the agriculture sector and the destruction of small-scale food production and the public food distribution system.
• India's agrarian economy has faced a crisis for more than ten years, driven by low farm prices, under-investment, and farmer indebtedness to money lenders and agribusiness, alongside neoliberal government policies. Approximately 70% of India's 1.3 billion people rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, and 800 million people used public food distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Indian government's response to the protests has involved brutal repression, including the use of water cannons, tear gas, and the digging of wide trenches by police. At least 15 people have died, and several leaders have been detained. The government has also been accused of a misinformation campaign, labeling protesters as anti-nationals and secessionists.
• The farmers' movement is supported by a broad coalition, including 1 in 4 Indian workers, as well as women, student unions, fishworkers, forest dwellers, dalits, and adivasis. Their primary demands include the repeal of the three farm acts and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020, a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price, and the release of political prisoners.

APA

admin (2020). Indian farmers lead historic struggle for Food Sovereignty, Anti-fascism, Democracy and Human Rights. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/indian-farmers-food-sovereignty-anti-fascism-democracy-human-rights/

Chicago

admin. Indian farmers lead historic struggle for Food Sovereignty, Anti-fascism, Democracy and Human Rights. Friends of the Earth International, 2020. https://www.foei.org/indian-farmers-food-sovereignty-anti-fascism-democracy-human-rights/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=admin |title=Indian farmers lead historic struggle for Food Sovereignty, Anti-fascism, Democracy and Human Rights |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=18 December 2020 |url=https://www.foei.org/indian-farmers-food-sovereignty-anti-fascism-democracy-human-rights/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{admin2020indian, author = {admin}, title = {{Indian farmers lead historic struggle for Food Sovereignty, Anti-fascism, Democracy and Human Rights}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://www.foei.org/indian-farmers-food-sovereignty-anti-fascism-democracy-human-rights/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }