Book Review: How Technology Sidelined Farmers

The review examines the historical trajectory of sugarcane cultivation in India and its role in colonial economics. It traces how the Dutch initiated sugarcane production in Southeast Asian colonies, followed by Britain's conversion of Caribbean possessions into sugar plantations. These developments resulted in entire peasant populations being restructured around a single high-value crop that ultimately strengthened British economic dominance.

The narrative connects colonial agricultural practices to contemporary farming challenges, exploring how technology and market forces have systematically marginalised smallholder farmers. The review suggests that the prioritisation of export-oriented, technology-driven monoculture has had lasting consequences for rural communities across former colonial regions.

This historical lens provides context for understanding modern agricultural policy debates in India, where questions about farmer welfare, land use, and technology adoption remain central to political discourse.