RURAL poverty is rooted in the asymmetrical distribution of land, which is the main asset in an agricultural economy. Big landlords have been reaping the benefits of price policies while small landholders are only growing the staples, to put food on their tables. Disparities between rich landlords and poor peasants in terms of wealth, rents from land, capacity to grow cash crops and ability to obtain education remains stark. Land ownership is highly concentrated and feudal lords are obstructing any meaningful reforms towards fairer distribution of land. What is there in our rural areas is a perpetual deprivation of the majority and a huge income inequality.

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