Farmer suicide in india Essay Example

due to its emotional nature. Experts studying government statistics reported that between 2002 and 2006, over 17,500 farmers took their own lives annually.[2]

According to various sources, the increase in farmer suicides can be traced back to the early 1990s. The states most affected by these suicides are Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Punjab. In order to address this pressing issue, the government of Maharashtra established a dedicated office. In 2006 alone, out of a total of 17,060 farmers' suicides reported across India as documented by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Maharashtra accounted for 4,453 cases. The NCRB also revealed that between 1997 and 2008, there were a total of 199,132 farmers' suicides in India. Additionally, a separate study conducted by the Bureau showed that despite an increase in farm suicides since 2001, there has been a decline in the number of individuals involved in farming due to their distressing circumstances.

According to government data, a significant number of farmers in various states in India have committed suicide. In Maharashtra, there were over 5,000 farmer suicides recorded from 2005 to 2009. Andhra Pradesh reported 1,313 cases between 2005 and 2007. Karnataka had 1,003 cases from the period of 2005-06 until August 2009. Gujarat had 387 suicides, Kerala had 905, Punjab had 75, and Tamil Nadu had 26 during the years of 2005-2009 according to NCRB database records. In April of that same year (2009), Chattisgarh reported that due to debt and crop failure alone, around
1,500 farmers took their own lives.

The National Crime Records Bureau data reveals that in just one year (2009), at least an alarming count of
17,368 Indian farmers resorted to suicide

– marking it as the highest number of such incidents within a span of six years

The causes.

Several researchers, including Raj Patel, Nagraj, Srijit Behere and Behere, and Meeta and Rajivlochan, have attributed the increasing suicide rates among farmers in India to various factors. These factors include the rapid urbanization and industrialization of India, where industry has become the primary source of income. Additionally, rural areas have been neglected by both the government and society. Furthermore, an economic downturn in urban areas has led many distressed non-farmers to turn to agriculture as an alternative. However, these struggling farmers lack proper guidance on how to adapt to the changing economy from the government or society. The cumulative stresses resulting from these factors have caused many farmers to contemplate suicide. Studies conducted in Andhra Pradesh also indicate that skills within the cotton sector have been adversely affected by the introduction of new seed and pesticide products.

Drought is a leading factor contributing to various issues.

Crop failure caused by droughts in India has a significant impact on agricultural regions. With up to 80% of the country's farmland relying on monsoon season floods, a lack of rainfall leads to decreased crop yields and scarcity of food for cattle. These challenges result in various consequences, including an increase in suicide rates among farmers affected by the droughts. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Maharashtra had the highest number of farm suicides in 2011, accounting for over one-fifth of all deaths. Since 1995, there have been at least 270,940 farm suicides recorded with a total of 14,027 deaths occurring in 2011.

Despite the State

of Maharashtra's efforts to manipulate data and redefine the term "farmer", the number of farmers' suicides continues to rise. In the previous year, there were 3,337 suicides, compared to 3,141 the year before and 2,872 in 2009. This alarming trend persists despite the government and major seed corporations' attempts to portray improvement through an expensive media campaign.

For over a decade, Maharashtra has remained the worst state for farm suicides, with a total of nearly 54,000 self-inflicted deaths since 1995. Within just nine years since 2003, 33,752 suicides occurred at an average of 3,750 per year. From 1995-2002, there were 20,066 suicides at an average of 2,508 per year.

Remarkably,this increase in suicides is happening while the farm population is decreasing,a trend observed throughout the country.Despite attempts by Maharashtra's government and major seed corporations to present progress through an expensive media campaign and manipulate data on what constitutes a farmer,farmers' suicide rates continue to rise in this state.In fact,in recent years,the number has reached new heights with 3337 cases reported last year as compared to 3141 cases in preceding years and only 2872 instances back in two thousand nine.It is particularly alarming that this persisting upward trend contradicts efforts made by authorities.Moreover,Maharashtra remains infamous for being the worst state when it comes to such tragic incidents.Since 1995, this region has seen an alarming number of farmers taking their own lives, totaling around fifty-four thousand. To provide some context, there were thirty-three thousand seven hundred fifty-two suicides reported between 2003 and 2012 alone, averaging about three thousand seven hundred fifty per year during that time period. From 1995 to 2002, there were twenty thousand sixty-six suicides recorded, averaging

approximately twenty-five hundred per year within that timeframe. Interestingly, this increase in self-inflicted deaths coincides with a decrease in the overall farm population nationwide—a concerning trend observed throughout the country.

The community in Maharashtra is facing increased pressures due to the rapid urbanization, leading to a correlation between rising suicides and a shrinking population. However, obtaining a better understanding of this situation will require waiting for the release of new farm population figures from the 2011 Census, which may take several months. Currently, both national and state-specific ratios of farm suicides rely on outdated data from the 2001 Census.

The big five states are:

The specific number of farm suicides in Chhattisgarh in 2011 is not known. However, the state has experienced a significant number of such incidents in the past five years. In 2010 alone, there were 1,126 farm suicides reported, despite the official claim of zero farm suicides. Chhattisgarh consistently ranks among the worst states for farm suicides and is part of the Big 5 states (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh), which collectively contribute to about 64% of all farm suicides. Although Chhattisgarh reports no suicides, its rate is only slightly lower than the average rate for these five states over a five-year period - approximately 66%. This difference could mean that Chhattisgarh's data has not been included in the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report or indicates recent manipulation of numbers by the state. Other states have also been practicing similar methods for many years.

Since 2007, the regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada in Maharashtra have been facing significant challenges. The Prime Minister's visit to

Vidarbha brought attention to this situation. However, Agriculture Union Minister Sharad Pawar made a deliberate choice not to use farm data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in Parliament since 2008. This decision was due to the distressing nature of the data, despite relying on NCRB data for other categories. Data manipulation is not limited only to the central government but also extends to state governments who manipulate the data they provide to the NCRB. There is growing concern about upcoming figures on farm suicides as drought affects the "Big 5" states. Recalculating using Chhattisgarh's annual average over the past five years reveals that the national total of farm suicides for 2011 would be 15,582.

The Big 5 states, which include Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, have a significant share in farm suicides. These states accounted for 10,524 reported cases in total, which is approximately 68 percent of the overall number. This percentage is higher compared to their average over the past five years. In 1995, these states represented 56.04 percent of all farm suicides.

In 2011, there were noticeable changes in the number of farm suicides across various states when compared to the previous year. Gujarat experienced an increase of 55 cases while Haryana had an increase of 87 cases. Madhya Pradesh witnessed an increase of 89 cases and Tamil Nadu saw an increase of82cases.Maharashtra alone had a staggering rise with an additional196cases.

On the contrary,nine states observed declines in their numbers by more than50farm suicides each.Karnataka witnessedthe largest decline with a decreaseof485cases,followed by Andhra Pradesh with adecreaseof319casesand West Bengal witha decreaseof186cases.Additionally ,Chhattisgarhreportedaremarkabledeclineof1 ,126farmsuicides,andnofarmingsuicideswerereportedinthisstateduring2011.

Farmers in

the Mahbubnagar district are confronting various difficulties. These include the overuse of chemical pesticides, irregular rainfall patterns, a heavy burden of debt, and counterfeit seeds. Tragically, in just the last three months alone, 20 farmers have taken their own lives as a result of continuous crop failures and overwhelming agricultural debts. These acts were driven by their inability to cope with these hardships. Additionally, inadequate loan advances from banks and exorbitant interest rates charged by private moneylenders have also contributed to these distressing suicides.

Despite the state government's efforts to educate farmers about agricultural innovations through Rythu Chaitanya Yatralu, they still face financial difficulties and resort to suicide due to mounting debts. This unfortunate reality is evident in Mahbubnagar district, where two more farm suicides have recently taken place. One farmer tragically committed suicide on Monday, while another resorted to consuming pesticide as a means to end his life on Tuesday.

Although economic globalization has occurred, agriculture remains the dominant industry in India, supporting about 70% of the population. While other sectors are growing quickly, a large majority of Indians still depend on agriculture. Consequently, it is vital to address the challenges faced by farmers and provide them with support in order to address the distressing problem of farmer suicides.

The development of agriculture in India is vital for the country's economic expansion and growth. It has been a priority sector since the initial Five year plan, and after 50 years, it is crucial to evaluate its current state. Thanks to the Green Revolution, India has attained food self-sufficiency and no longer relies on importing grains for daily consumption. Additionally, there have

been technological advancements in Indian agriculture, with more farmers in rural areas embracing mechanization in their farming practices. This indicates an overall improvement in agricultural trends across the nation.

Instead of providing temporary financial aid, the solution to the farmer's dilemma should aim at empowering them to attain self-sustainability. The emphasis should be on enhancing the overall structure of small farming communities, imparting them with essential skills and abilities to overcome challenges rather than solely depending on relief measures in times of drought.

The Government should acknowledge that farmers' suicides are not confined to remote areas of a few states and must develop proactive solutions. These suicides reveal the true state of our economy's foundation. The saying "Give a man a fish, he will eat for a day; teach him how to fish, he will eat for the rest of his life" applies to Indian farmers too. What they require is a sustainable livelihood that prevents them from succumbing to desperation in the face of adversity. Empowering these farmers is vital for India's prosperity.