Need agri-friendly polices to stop farmer suicides
The number of suicides by farmers in India continues to be high. Maharashtra, which traditionally held the top slot among all states, reported 2,366 suicides by farmers during the first 10 months of 2023. That amounts to 8 suicides a day in Maharashtra alone. Other large states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh, too, are not far behind.
As per the National Crime Records Bureau’s latest report, in 2022, as many as 11,290 farmers were reported to have died by suicide, with the five large states accounting for a lion’s share. In the demographic chart, farmers take the third spot while the unemployed youth and students take the top two positions. Why do farmers take their lives? The mounting debt and crop failures are the prime reasons. Being unable to repay loans, farmers drag themselves into penury, which in turn lead them to starvation, land loss, and mental distress.
On the other hand, the vagaries of weather have resulted in frequent crop failures,. Several farmers are found to be suffering from anxiety and insomnia. The unregulated production of crops and the herd mentality of farmers have continued to create a mess with production and concomitant pricing of the produce. The huge price-drop that forces farmers to dump their produce is another villain. Unfriendly policies, anti-farmer laws, corrupt administration, and inadequate crop insurance and subsidies are also making life difficult for them. What is alarming is that the country is unable to disentangle itself from the familiar situations and save farmers once and for all. As per the Economic Survey 2022-23, as much as 65 percent of India’s population lives in the rural areas and 47 percent is dependent on agriculture for livelihood.
It is vital that the agriculture infrastructure including silos for grain storage, reefer networks and atmosphere-controlled transportation for perishable commodities, etc—is set up in adequate measures. Making institutional finance and wider crop insurance available to farmers, and introducing effective water management, prevention of crop failures and a minimum support price regime even for vegetables and fruits can bring peace. It is heartening that India has become self-reliant and export-driven in several agri products. But if farmers remain distressed, new-gen may move to other greener pastures. The government may need to bring in more farmer-friendly policies to ensure their commitment and continued participation.