Letters to The EDITOR: Overnight sensation Vozinha

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Overnight sensation Vozinha

Tiny Cape Verde, making its World Cup debut, achieved a remarkable feat by holding heavily favoured Spain to a scoreless 0-0 draw on June 15. European champion Spain is one of the favourites to win the tournament and was heavily favoured at -1200 to beat Cape Verde. But it could not find a way past a 40-year-old goalkeeper and a stubborn defence that had an answer to everything Spain's superstars threw at them. Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha broke down in tears after the final whistle following his impressive performance to keep Spain at bay. Overnight, the 40-year-old became a social media sensation, with his Instagram followers going from 20,000 to around 6 million and counting. Until 25, Vozinha wasn't even a professional and spent years playing amateur football until he became a pro. The goalkeeper made seven saves that night, some of which were spectacular and prevented Spain from scoring.

Born as Josimar Dias, the goalkeeper was named after former Argentinian star Jorge Valdano and Brazilian footballer Josimar. The reason Valdano's name was rejected is that, at the time, foreign names were not permitted in the country; therefore, his father named him after Josimar, who shone in the FIFA World Cup in 1986. After the final whistle, emotions poured out. Vozinha broke down in tears as the magnitude of the achievement sank in. "I cried because I grew up with my grandparents," he said after being named Player of the Match. "They were everything for me." He also highlighted the personal sacrifices behind his journey, including his mother's inability to attend due to visa and financial constraints. At 40 years and 12 days, he also entered the record books as one of the oldest players ever to feature in a nation's World Cup debut. What was once an unknown name has now become a global sensation. Before the match, he had around 50,000 Instagram followers, a figure that reportedly surged into the millions within hours after his performance. For Cape Verde, the draw felt like a victory. For Spain, it was frustration. But for Vozinha, it was the night he introduced himself to the world, in unforgettable fashion.

Plavan Bhuyan,

T.H.B College, Jamugurihat

Potential of Assam's

agri-economy

An economy like India cannot separate itself from agriculture. No matter how much progress the nation makes on the technological front, the agri-economy is the backbone of India. While some of the states excelled in their agricultural brilliance, many other states are suffering due to lack of logistical and infrastructural support along with adoption of anachronistic farming practices. For instance, Assam, despite being blessed with a tropical humid climate, high rainfall and rich alluvial soil, still remains an underperformer in the agriculture sector compared to Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. While attributing the reasons for such low growth in agriculture to flood and drought may allow a quick escape from scrutiny, it cannot wipe out the reality.

Apart from tea, the state grows 22 types of Joha rice. Among which Kola joha, Kon joha and Keteki joha have a huge demand. Due to the need for a specific terrain, Joha is exclusively grown only in Assam. Known for its signature fragrance, Joha holds a GI tag from the government of India and costs Rs160-Rs180 per kg, which is much higher than some of the branded Basmati rice. Though Joha rice is often blamed for taking longer days to mature, the other reason for its less extensive cultivation is the requirement of short days and cold nights, and it is highly vulnerable to pests. If scientific methods of cultivation are employed, its production can be increased to a substantial level.

Assam cultivates a significant quantity of Hali rice. Despite this, the conditions of the farmers are far from stable. The rice growers of Assam are mostly classified as small or marginal. The reasons behind this are small land holdings and absence of a proper minimum support price (MSP) in rural areas, especially. They still sell the rice in weekly bazaars (haats) or to middlemen and baniyas at much lower prices. The Titabor rice, which is of premium quality, is sold to Baniyas at a price of Rs30-Rs34 per kg. It is then packed, labelled and sold in the stores at Rs 55 per kg. Due to the absence of a proper market mechanism, the Titabor rice cultivators are deprived of the actual market price, while the Baniyas, who never sowed a seed, earn in lakhs from the farm produce.

The plight extends beyond rice. The state produces a diverse range of vegetables. But due to an insufficient cold storage facility, the after-harvest losses result in tonnes. Each year, 20-45% of tomatoes and pumpkins perish unsold. Every district has storage facilities less than it actually requires. For instance, in Jorhat there is only one operational govt-owned cold storage at Chennijan, which compels the farmers of Allengmora, Teok and Titabor to sell their produce at a low price to the wholesalers. A kilo of squash, which is charged Rs 60, is actually bought from Allengmora farmers at hardly Rs 25. The calculus remains the same for other vegetables also.

Assam yields excellent quantities of bananas, pineapples, papayas, guavas and litchis. But when it comes to packaging, canning and bottling of these items, the options are limited. The state owns only one food park (Northeast Mega Food Park) at Nalbari. Though it supports 1,80,000 tonnes of processed foods annually, the state still depends on imported edible oils, spices, and sauces from other states.

To shift from subsistence farming to commercialisation, Assam will require a scientific and technical approach. Through proper trainings, easy loans, a rural infrastructure push, digitising payments and building an organized rural market structure, Assam can boost its agri-economy. Since foreign countries are already showing their interests in Assam's aromatic plants and natural extracts, the effort should be given to bringing other agri-items to global notice to pull investment and build a value chain. Only 6% of the state's agricultural land gets proper irrigation. If domestic and foreign investment comes for improving irrigation infrastructure, then cultivation of Joha and Bora rice could be done at an export level. The state not only needs more cold storage units across the districts, but their accessibility should also remain within small farmers' reach. Assam's agri potential has always remained underused. As the northeast is going to become the gateway to South Asian countries, it is high time for Assam to recognize the richness of its soil and transform the land into an agricultural hub.

Kabir Ahmed Saikia

Rajabari, Jorhat.

Homemakers'

silent sacrifice

The Supreme Court's recent recognition of the unpaid labour of homemakers in compensation claims is commendable. The vast unpaid workforce today deserves both recognition and respect. They are truly speaking as "nation builders". But in many families, women are expected to give up their careers after marriages and devote themselves entirely to domestic responsibilities. It is absolutely true that a homemaker is not a nine-to-five job. It offers neither fixed hours nor retirement. Their sacrifices in nurturing and uplifting their families are unquestionably admirable. The sacrifices made by men are equally significant. Though unpaid and often overlooked, homemakers' unpaid labour forms the foundation of families and society. Thus, their free family-based contributions play a vital role in the nation's building. While the court has taken an important step towards promoting gender equality and social justice, there is a need for the government to ensure homemakers' financial rights and provide them with some form of social security. Let us always remember the fact that a homemaker's contribution is value-based rather than cost-based.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati