Why in the News?

• The NCRB’s 2023 report revealed that over 10,700 farmers and agricultural workers died by suicide, with Maharashtra and Karnataka recording the highest numbers.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Farmer Suicides in India (Introduction, Reasons, etc.)
• NCRB Report on Farmer Suicides (Key Highlights, Criticism & Concerns)

Farmer Suicides in India: A Chronic Crisis

• India’s agricultural sector sustains nearly half of its population, yet farmers often remain economically vulnerable. The recurring phenomenon of farmer suicides is not new and has been deeply linked to issues such as:

• Debt Burden: Dependence on informal credit and high-interest loans often traps farmers in cycles of unmanageable debt.
• Crop Failures: Erratic monsoons, droughts, floods, and pest infestations leave farmers unable to recover investments.
• Market Volatility: Price fluctuations in key crops like cotton, soybean, onion, and pulses reduce profitability.
• Policy Gaps: Inadequate crop insurance, lack of irrigation coverage, and insufficient procurement mechanisms worsen rural distress.
• Regional Concentration: Farmer suicides are often concentrated in cotton and soybean belts like Vidarbha and Marathwada in Maharashtra, highlighting the vulnerability of monocrop-dependent regions.

• Various governments have attempted measures such as loan waivers, crop insurance schemes, and MSP (Minimum Support Price) expansions.
• However, the persistence of suicides suggests structural reforms are required, particularly in rural credit systems, diversification of crops, and ensuring stable incomes.

Key Highlights of the NCRB Report on Farmer Suicides

• According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2023 report, 10,786 farmers and agricultural workers died by suicide across India, accounting for 6.3% of all suicides in the country.
• State-wise Distribution

• Maharashtra: Reported the highest share at 38.5% of farmer suicides, with Marathwada and Vidarbha remaining epicentres.
• Karnataka: Accounted for 22.5%, reflecting widespread distress across drought-prone regions.
• Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu: Reported 8.6%, 7.2%, and 5.9% respectively.
• Zero Reports: States like West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and several north-eastern states officially reported no farmer suicides, though experts question the accuracy of this data.

• Occupation-wise Split

• Cultivators (Farmers): 4,690 suicides (mostly male).
• Agricultural Workers: 6,096 suicides, indicating that landless labourers also face severe economic stress.

• Broader Trends

• The NCRB data highlights that more than 10,000 suicides annually have been consistently reported from the farming sector in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
• Experts and farmer organisations argue that the figures may be underreported due to discrepancies in state-level data recording.

Criticism and Concerns Raised

• Farmer organisations such as the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) argue that the government’s policies have aggravated rural distress rather than alleviating it.
• Key criticisms include:

• Trade Liberalisation: Removal of the 11% import duty on cotton has sparked fears that cheaper American cotton will further undercut Indian farmers.
• Impact of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): Concerns that upcoming FTAs could threaten domestic agriculture, dairy, and edible oil sectors.
• Policy Indifference: Critics argue that successive governments have failed to draw lessons from the crisis, remaining focused on corporate-driven models of growth.

• The data also underscores a cotton and soybean crisis, with farmer suicides most pronounced in these crop belts.
• This makes it evident that agricultural reforms cannot be piecemeal but must focus on holistic rural livelihood security.