In the fertile deltas of Andhra Pradesh, where the Godavari and Krishna rivers nourish the soil that feeds millions, a quiet crisis unfolds. It is the story of tenant farmers (kaulu raitulu in Telugu) who till the land with their sweat but reap only debt and despair.
Take, for instance, the tale of a modest farmer from I Polavaram village in the Konaseema district, whose daily grind mirrors the plight of countless others across the state. For two acres leased on tenancy, he harvests 140 bags of paddy across two seasons — 60 in the first, 80 in the second, each bag weighing 75 kg.
