Madhukar Sanap

Farmer’s Suicides : Trends &

Magnitude

INDIA

INTERNATIONAL

A total of 2,96,438 farmers have committed suicide in India since 1995 to Deceber 2013

At A Glance.......

• A total of 2,96,438 farmers have committed suicide in India since 1995 to Deceber 2013

• The government has no data other that police records.

• No proper documentation of these deaths has been done.

• Every single state has reported cases of farmers suicides.

• Thus, the agricultural practices adopted in every state may be different, but problems exist everywhere.

• Maharashtra, Andra Pradesh, Karnataka, Panjab have been badly affected.

• Most prone to suicide were individuals between the ages of 30-45

• The states of Andra Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, Kerela, MP, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, UP, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Panjab have all shown an increase in suicide cases since 1995. Farmers' suicides represent only the tip of the

iceberg.

The stark discrepancies in state records

• Andra Pradesh: Only “genuine farmer suicides” have been recorded by the authorities and been given compensation of one lakh.

• Maharashtra appears to be in denial with “eligible” and “non-eligible” categories for farmers. Not even 10 percent of the victim’s families have got compensation yet.

• Chattisgarh has one of the highest rates of suicides. Suddenly, in 2011 no farmer deaths reported since the authorities listed them under “self-employed” and “other”.

• Kerela State Debt Relief Commission Act in 2006 spent 3318 crores on debt relief. This ought to be taken as an example.

• In spite of a good crop, Madhya Pradesh too has a high number of suicides with April-July 2012 witnessing the deaths of 205 farmers and 95 agri labourers

• Punjab government decided to extend a compensation sum of Rs. 2 lakh compensation to every family. Implementation however, is an issue.

Few causes of crisis • Rising cost of cultivation, • Increase in the price of fertilizers, pesticides, tools, etc

(input cost) • Unremunerative prices (no assurance of return), • Issues related to Minimum Support Prices of

foodgrains • Trade liberalization and import export policies, • Unsustainable cropping patterns, • Lack of support systems like storage, credit,

insurance, farmers collectives, • The neglect of rainfed agriculture. • Tenancy farming too has been a rather ignored area. • Current Challenges (Policy changes i.e. MGNREAGA etc)

How solutions need to be found

• Giving debt relief

• Insurance coverage

• Food schemes and to release land under mortage

• Income security should be the government’s responsibility

• Newer mechanisms are needed for price compensation

• Need of comprehensive mission for sustainable agriculture in rain-fed areas

• Special integrated relief and rehabilitation package for farm widows and farmers in distress

The Legacy Today

60 percent of country is agrarian population and the crisis is not an rate that can be ignored.

"Hope's Still Alive”

Suicides of Farmers in Maharashtra – Causes

• Liberal Import of Agricultural Products – Side effects of Indias Economic and Agriculture Policies

• Cutback in Agricultural Subsidies

• Lack of Easy and Low-cost Loan to Agriculture

• Decline in Government Investment in the Agricultural Sector

• Restructuring of the Public Distribution System – Former Governor General of RBI in his book 'India's politics: A view from

the Backbench' says - "Government spends Rs.3.65 to reach only Re 1 to the beneficiary

• Attention to Special Economic Zones – but Why not Agriculture Zone??

• Implications on Environment and Climate Change

• Government measures miserably poor (Relief & Rehabilitation Packaes)

• Issues of BT Cotton – HIGHER INPUT COST AND POOR RETURN FROM BT COTTON

• INCREASE OF PESTICIDE IN MAHARASHTRA

• STEP-MOTHERLY TREATMENT TO COTTON GROWERS

Recommendations • An immediate (adequate) compensation need to be offered, on a priority

basis

• State should look into its extension work in the field of agriculture and come up with a comprehensive action plan to revamp the set up, its training and its information base.

• State should propagate the alternative low cost organic/natural farming system through a strong network of voluntary bodies

• Quantitative restrictions should be imposed on import of agricultural products. Since the import policy was the major reason for the crash in prices of many agricultural products, there should be restrictions on the quantity and customs duty of such products.

• Subsidy and concessions given to agriculture but removed in the post-reform period should be restored.

• Creation of an insurance safety net

• Bank loans should be easily made available to the farmers

• There is a need for periodic revision of the procurement prices for farm produce making those remunerative.

• The government should revise the policy on Special Economic Zones as it goes against the interest of farmers and the agricultural sector. It should not acquire fertile agricultural land for SEZs.

• Bold steps should be taken to implement land reforms which were not implemented in most States.

• The rural economy, particularly agriculture, will be greatly benefit if programmes meant for economically backward sections, including the Integrated Child Development Schemes, mid-day meals for school children and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, are effectively implemented.

• The solution of the problem is not in a few “packages” but in drastic changes in the present economic policies related to agriculture. For this, the government should be ready to take bold steps.

“In a country where 60 per cent of people depend on agriculture for their livelihood,

it is better to become an agricultural force based on food security rather than

a nuclear force.”

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