PRESENTATION BY MISHIKA NAMBIAR

FYBA - AROLL NO. 83

FOUNDATION COURSE

FARMERS’ SUICIDE &

AGRARIAN DISTRESS

Introduction

70% population in villages n 60% Indians depend on agriculture

Farmer is known as Annapurna In IndiaIrregular rain sometimes excess rain harming

crops.Use of olden techniques of farmingGovernment taking measures to boost

farmersStill farmers opt for suicides

Statistics

Year Total Suicide Rate Farmer Suicide Rate2001 105.49 70.12

2002 105.61 76.39

2003 104.34 73.44

2004 105.36 78.62

2005 103.96 74.45

2006 106.20 74.83

2007 108.67 73.69

2008 109.21 72.56

Statistics

The issue of farmers’ suicides came into the limelight in the 1990s

This issue worsened in d 2000sNational Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

reported that Between 2002-2006 more than 17500 farmers killed themselves

Of which Maharashtra accounted of more den a quarter of the sum i.e. 4,453

History

• In the 1990s the Govt. officials denied the 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.• Before globalization the need of theses techniques did not emerge.• Crop yields failed, they were under debt, couldn’t repay, killed themselves.

Suicide Statistics

Causes

Heavy Indebtedness – Roots in Credit Policy of the Government

Mismatch in the Cost of Production and Support Price & Market Price

Crop Failure due to: Overuse of Fertilizers Reliance on HYV (High Yield Variety)Seeds and now recently on

Genetically modified seeds such as BT Cotton

Resulted in reduction of land ProductivityAvailability of Credit – dependence on Private Money

LendingReliance on Rainfall. Therefore, lack of subsidy given

towards fertilizers/ pesticides/ irrigation/ electricity.Strackly apathetic Government Attitude.

BT Cotton

Response to farmer suicides

The Indian government had promised to increase the minimum rate for cotton by approximately Rs.100 ($2) but reneged on its promise by reducing the Minimum Support Price further: Resulted in more farmers attempting suicide

Apart from the farmer helpline and the direct financial assistance, there was scarcely anything new being offered. (fails in the end)

Media’s Move

"Summer 2007" by producer Atul Pandey & 2009 Bollywood film Kissan stressed on farmer suicides

Sumit Khanna titled "Mere Desh Ki Dharti" In 2006 focused on how our food grew and helped understanding agrarian crisis… won a national award

Economica: Women and the Global Economy : farmers' suicides on the lives of the farmers' wives and children

"Growing Debt" and accompanying essay by curator Masum Momaya entitled "Money of Her Own" showed how many widows were left with the burden of their husbands' debts

The 2010, award winning film Jhing Chik Jhing is based around the emotive issue of farmer suicides in Maharashtra

Misguided policies

But the farmers' lack of viability was the result of totally misguided neoliberal policies, which reduced public investment drastically, withdrew extension services, made credit expensive or not available at all, and exposed small producers to the violent ups and downs of global prices

the income the land will yield can vary enormously This is an important reason for the discontent that land acquisition has unleashed among farmers

Under a project named after the late K.R. Narayanan, land has been identified in Kasaragod to set up a cooperative residential-cum-activity complex in which houses for the families concerned will be constructed at state expense and alternative employment activities developed. The cooperative element is crucial as it ensures that individual households cannot be pressured to part with their new assets and will maintain productive activities, leading to a flow of income. It is to be hoped that the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government will carry the scheme forward : this is not implicated elsewhere

Newspaper articles

1. The Independent: A UK Daily Newsletter1,500 farmers commit mass suicide in IndiaWEDNESDAY 15 APRIL 200915000 killed in a state in indiaMr. Shahu livin in a district wer 206 killd

themselves gave reasons y they committed suicide

Mr. Beturam’s (dead) family was debted with£ 400 for poor crop yield

Mr. prakash adds that the govt should take charge of such situations

Newspaper articles

2. Hindustan Times9 Farmers End Lives in Vidarbha Tragedy Toll rises to 65 in this

month alone the Samiti has now decided to raise the issue of farmer suicides before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Nagpur - 27th March 2010 Nine more Vidarbha farmers have

committed suicide in the last 48 hours.

With the death of these nine farmers, the toll has risen to 65 in this month alone.

In February 58 farmers had committed suicide

He said that as many as 195 farmers have committed suicide so far in 2010 owing to debts, drought and failed crops.

more than 7,300 farmers killed them- selves in Maharashtra since 2004.

Case Study

This is the family of a 55 year old female killed herself on 10th June 2004 outstanding debt of Rs. 44,600, by 2005 the debt increased to 90,000

Family of a 65 year old male. Date of death is 31st May 2004. debt of over 5,000 from the Regional Bank taken a loan of Rs. 10000 and he spent 60,000 and 4200 to get his

sons married and treat his wife’s hand respectively

The family of a 38 year old male. Date of death is 24th September 2004 outstanding debt of Rs.15,000 from a bank supporting his mentally instable brothers family and has to get his

daughter married.