Indian farmers and

suicide: How big is

the problem?

Why should e talk a out far er s

suicides???
Agriculture sector has
a pivotal role in Indian
economy.

Agriculture provides
the principal means of
livelihood for over 60
percent of India's
population.

The share of
agriculture sector in
G.D.P. of India was
44.0% during 1973-74 .

In Indian planning
agriculture sector
ignored except in a few
five years plan.

In the 1990s the Govt. officials denied a large number of

suicides, but as more and more information came to light the
government began to accept that farmers in India were under
considerable stress 15% farmers killed themselves and more
than 25000 farmers consumed pesticides and killed
themselves because of a combination of high farming costs
(exorbitantly priced hybrid (so-called high yielding) seeds and
pesticides sold by multinationals and a lack of a good price for
their produce, partly due to imports.

On an average 38 farmers commit suicide everyday in

India, one Indian farmer commits suicide every 32
minutes between 1997 and 2005 and since 2012, this
has become one suicide every 30 minutes.

15507farmers committed suicide in the country in

2012.

Almost 75 per cent of farmer suicides have occurred

amongst the small and medium farmers
Indebtedness was the reason behind the suicide of 93%
farmers.

addiction
8%

health problems
6%

indebtedness
19%

daughter/sister's
marriage
10%

economic
downfall
19%

dent in social
status
14%

crop failure
13%

conflict in family
11%

CAUSE FO CONCEN.
The most immediate consequence of drought is a
fall in crop production, due to inadequate and
poorly distributed rainfall. Farmers are faced with
harvests that are too small to both feed their
families, fodder supplies from crop residues to feed
their livestock and fulfill their other commitments
forcing them to drastic measures. The drastic
measures can include changing jobs or suicides.

Monsoons

Farmers in India over

depend on the monsoons.
There is regular break
down
in
the
meteorological cycle of
rainfall.

In India, 93% of area fall

under dry land farming,
which means totally
dependent on the rainfall
as irrigation systems are
scarce, not equally spread
and are not efficient

Sometimes more than

normal rains causes flood
which also destroys the
crop.

LACK OF PROPER
IRRIGATION
Indian farmers are heavily
dependent
on
monsoons,. They do t
have any source for
proper irrigation farming.
Irrigation farming is when
crops are grown with the
help of irrigation systems
by supplying water to land
through rivers, reservoirs,
tanks, and wells.

58% of farmers having

committed suicides had
absolutely no irrigation
facilities.

GROUND WATER

Due to overdependence
on groundwater for all
purposes domestic or
industrial and with no
law against it in India,
ground water table is
decreasing
at
an
alarming rate. Many
farmers due to lack of
proper
irrigation
systems, use tube wells
and are now facing
problems due to it.

Many tasks related to agriculture are

power/electric dependent.
Costly or no electricity supply proves
to a significant problem.

EXPENSIVE
TECHNOLOGIES
Costly or no
Many tasks
electricity
related to
supply proves
agriculture are
to a
power/electric
significant
dependent.
problem.

The waiver given by government helps only if the loan has

been taken from a government-backed institution, but most
farmers in India borrow from moneylenders at the start of the
sowing season to buy seeds and other ingredients.

Government only help a fraction of farmers.

Farmers' demands were not taken into count while

preparing the relief package. Neither were civil society
organizations, local government bodies, panchayats etc
consulted.

Dowry is still present in many parts of India.

Dowry creates financial pressure on the family head.
Many farmers die because of lack money for dowry during
their daughter s marriage. They are stressed and depressed
and when find no option , sui ides seems to be the only
solution as per them. But this puts their family into more
trouble and poverty and the cycle continues..

Green revolution

Indebtedness
Indebtedness was the reason behind the suicide of 93% farmers.
Out of 17.64 Lakh farmers only (25.3%) farmers could avail
institutional finance in 2005-06.
Private money lenders charge high interest rates between 48-60%
p.a.
Higher rate of interest in the cooperative credit system e.g. up to
12.5% to 14% till last year.
cooperative sector brought down their interest rates to 7%, even
then the farmers are taking loans from the private individuals.

Reasons for indebtedness

Increasing cost of
agriculture inputs

Reduced price of
agriculture produces

Repeated crop loss

Indebtedness

Withdrawal of
government support

Increasing
dependence on money
lenders at high rates of
interest.

REHABILITATIVE MEASURES
Cou selli g a e pro ided to the far er s fa ily
The families can be helped to gain benefits of various
government schemes.
Dependent family members can be provided with guidance to
other livelihood alternatives(non farm employment) and
Seed support, manure, tank silt (red soils) or cost of cultivation
can be provided.
Interest free loan and free health insurance services are also
required.

What government can do?

Immediate Measures

Immediate compensation for crop

failure
Remunerative prices, direct
procurement from farmers
Modify export/import policies and
tariffs in favour of Indian farmers
Provide ex-gratia and loan repayment
support for all families of farmer
suicides in time-bound manner

What government can do?

Addressing Root Causes
Price Compensation system for all food crops: when
MSPs or market prices are less than Target Price (Cost
of Cultivation + 50%), the difference should be paid
directly to farmers
Guarantee minimum living incomes to all farmers

Promote sustainable agriculture which reduces cost

of cultivation and crop risk
Comprehensive rain fed agriculture mission based on
diverse cropping systems, protective irrigation and
livestock systems

What government can do?

Addressing Root Causes
Bank credit to all farmers with adequate scale of
finance
Effective crop insurance to cover all crops and all
farmers

Inclusion of tenant farmers in all support systems