Worst figure in six years
At least 17,368 Indian farmers killed themselves in 2009, the worst figure for farm suicides in six years, according to data of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). This is an increase of 1,172 over the 2008 count of 16,196. It brings the total farm suicides since 1997 to 2,16,500. The share of the Big 5 States, or ‘suicide belt' — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh — in 2009 remained very high at 10,765, or around 62 per cent of the total, though falling nearly five percentage points from 2008. Maharashtra remained the worst State for farm suicides for the tenth successive year, reporting 2,872. Though that is a fall of 930, it is still 590 more than in Karnataka, second worst, which logged 2,282 farm suicides.
Economist K. Nagaraj, author of the biggest study on Indian farm suicides, says, “That these numbers are rising even as the farmer population shrinks, confirms the agrarian crisis is still burning.”
Maharashtra has logged 44,276 farm suicides since 1997, over a fifth of the total 2,16,500. Within the Big 5, Karnataka saw the highest increase of 545 in 2009. Andhra Pradesh recorded 2,414 farm suicides — 309 more than in 2008. Madhya Pradesh (1,395) and Chhattisgarh (1,802) saw smaller increases of 16 and 29. Outside the Big 5, Tamil Nadu doubled its tally with 1,060, against 512 in 2008. In all, 18 of 28 States reported higher farm suicide numbers in 2009. Some, like Jammu and Kashmir or Uttarakhand, saw a negligible rise. Rajasthan, Kerala and Jharkhand saw increases of 55, 76 and 93. Assam and West Bengal saw higher rises of 144 and 295. NCRB farm data now exist for 13 years. In the first seven, 1997-2003, there were 1,13,872 farm suicides, an average of 16,267 a year.
In the next six years 1,02,628 farmers took their lives at an average of 17,105 a year. This means, on average, around 47 farmers — or almost one every 30 minutes — killed themselves each day between 2004 and 2009.
Lower their average
Among the major States, only a few including Karnataka, Kerala and West Bengal avoided the sharp rise these six years and lowered their average by over 350 compared to the 1997-2003 period.
In the same period, the annual average of farm suicides in the Big 5 States as a whole was more than 1,650 higher than it was in 1997-2003.
Keywords: farmers suicide, P. Sainath, datas, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh
Reading through comments from readers, it is clear that there is a wide gap in the perception of general public , especially the urban middle-class and elite; the gap between them and the rural farmer has increased so much that hardly anyone understands the meaning of what the soil can give, beyond their balcony gardening pots. I am an NRI and probably one of the few who has taken a 'stupid' decision 2 years ago to acquire paddy land in Kerala; while everyone has been running to sell their holdings for pittances. My dad (returned NRI) now takes care of the land and you have to literally dirty your feet and hands to understand what it means to be a farmer. Their plight is unbelievable. Many hold less than an acre (average), and obtain finance from local money lenders at cut-throat interest rates just to buy the seeds and fertiliser. Despite working hard for 3-4 months, one wayward rain, one bout of plant illness, is enough to get him and family into poverty, blood-thirsty money lenders, and eventually the valley of suicide. Why? Simple. Their business of agriculture doesnt interest anyone else in the country - the Govt, policymakers, planners, general public, media - no one! There is nothing at stake for them, as food was always available on their table since their birth. It has been taken for granted. Local shortages always paved way for cheap imports. Why should they bother? It is human nature to change, only when they reach the precipice. Climate change, population, health, food, energy - a day will come when we will be forced to remember the farmer. The days of 100Rs / kg of rice is not far.
Suicide of farmers is the indicator of distress especially in Microcredit and it is shameful for all of us that, on one side we are pretending to be a Superpower but we are not able to stop our farmer brothers from taking this extreme step.
The Figures of Farmer suicide will serve only to flood headlines if there is sufficient lobbying from the part of Media for the poor as they do for corporates
All the deaths may not be due to crop losses,but all the people who died are farmers.I urge the leaders to compare the suicide rate of Indian farmers to that of politicians,they are poles apart
This is the real failure of neo-liberal capitalism in India. Do capitalists need more proofs?
The comment by Ram Prasad is really valid. We cannot wait for the Government to step-in and prevent farmer suicides. And hardly anything from the Government fund reach the real needy farmers. The key is to have a move for farmers, raise the fund and make sure it reach the real needy farmers - Society should value the toil of the farmers, else we will forever remain dependent on the imported food grains. I really feel if 'The Hindu' itself can setup relief fund, it will be a big step ahead !
These are indeed grim figures! Hindu and other news papers need to provide more details to understand why so many farmers are choosing to end their lives. Is it becasue of crop failure? If yes, what is the reason for crop failure. Why farmers are not able to ensure their crops? And even if there is crop failure, why suicide is the only option? Are they in debt and if they are, why is goverment not providing them loans? There are lot of questions and Hindu and other news papers need to do a better job of providing a better picture of the situation on the ground.
I was shocked when i see the figure of farmer suicides in Tamilnadu. This is the state where farmers enjoys more facilities including free power. The DMK led state government is known for free schemes- one kilo rice for one rupee, free TV, free gas connection, 6000/- rupees for pregnant woman, 25000/- rupees for marriage, health insurance upto one lakh per person, no fees for first generation graduates joining technical education like engineering and medicine and above all 21 lakh free concrete houses for those living in huts. The state government have already scrapped 7000 crore worth of co -operative loans borrowed by farmers. Then what are the reasons for their suicides? still I cant believe this.
Did you include landless laborers when you talk about farmers? Otherwise it will show only the figure of landowning middle castes not Dalits.
- Ravikumar MLA
General Secretary, Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK)
Tamilnadu
By the time of Manmohan's sorry, Sonia's 'trickle down' theory, there won't be much in India left to trickle. India would have become a country with millionaires only!
No one looks after betterment of farmers in this independent India. Seen different party govt in these states as well in center, they are not concerned. Because these farmers are mostly illiterate and they don't have organization to fight for their cause.
It is very pathetic scenario and it will bring the havoc in 'food security' in future. How can a developing nation like India can think of food security to all without securing the life and livelihood of the farmers? It is obvious that the total area of farm-land is in decreasing trend, so as the number of total dependents on Agriculture. Nevertheless, the demand for food is increasing and so does the pricing. From the constitutional point of view it is very easy to segregate issues of 'Agriculture and allied responsibility' as union subject or state subject; but the reality is that today agricultural policy is in a state of malady. Prime Minister, as a constitutional executive-head should do the needful to formulate long term sustainable and progressive policy to secure the lives and livelihood of the all farmers community including small and marginal producers.
Here is a true journalist and one worthy of admiration. Someone tirelessly campaigning for farmers. The figures are truly staggering. There are more farmer deaths in Maharashtra and India as a whole than terrorist attacks and yet the latter is given more importance. The reason being that it affects the elite. Sainath might blurt the hard truths but neverthless it is a truth that the elite does not care to hear.
That's really sad. 17,368 deaths just in 2009? As a society can we do something to stop this? In a country of billion people blaming the government alone is not going to solve any problem. The question is What can we do help our Farmers? What happens in other countries at the time of such crisis? In US for instance 'Farm Aid' performs concerts and raises money to help their Farmers. At one time they raised money and saved several farmers community who were in Foreclosures. Here's interesting read. http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.2723673/k.8C39/Past_Concerts.htm.My point is may be if we really care we can help our farmers too. I know in the past 'The Hindu' had set up Relief fund accounts to raise money for tsunami victims. May be if we have a fund raiser from "The Hindu" for our Farmers every body who wants to help can contribute what ever they can for this great cause of saving our Indian Farmers.
All the deaths may not be due to crop losses,but all the people who died are farmers.I urge the leaders to compare the suicide rate of Indian farmers to that of politicians,they are poles apart.
The prime cause for this is the BT crop companies like Monsanto. To enlighten yourself about the false spread by these companies please visit: http://www.navdanya.org/earth-democracy/food-sovereignty
These are grim figures. I am glad Mr. Sainath is bringing these to light. Firstly, if the study is factual, why are you reporting it in the opinion section? Secondly, I would greatly appreciate it if a link to the source were posted online. This would help us appreciate what is meant by the definition of the term suicide -- and also convince us that the methodology used is sound. The numbers mentioned are significant and the implications huge --- it is important that one verifies that the studies are vetted by a thorough process of peer-review.
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