Preventing Agrarian Distress and Farmer Suicides

In both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, farmer suicides are causing deep distress in the farming community. They play the most crucial role of feeding the nation, but as a society and as an economy, we are not ensuring a dignified life and sufficient income for them. In the last 4 years, more than 3500 farmers have committed suicide in Telangana and more than 1600 in Andhra Pradesh.

Across India, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have the worst status of indebtedness, with 92.9% and 89.1% of the agricultural households being in debt, respectively. The worst hit are the tenant farmers who are doing the actual cultivation by leasing land from the owners. A recent study by RSV found that 75% of farmer suicides are by tenant farmers. Most of the debt is in the form of high interest loans from local moneylenders and dealers, pushing farmers into a debt trap.

We are trying to address the above-mentioned two issues. The most distressed families are those in which a farmer suicide has taken place or those whose lands are suffering from the ill-effects of drought or calamity. They need immediate support. Secondly, we need to prevent farmer distress by addressing issues of tenant farmers and women farmers who are doing the actual cultivation.

1. Help to distressed farmer families

a. Children’s Education Support: Support for continuing education and acquiring professional skills, especially in high school and college.

b. Mentorship Program: Our aim is to address behavioral issues of children, listen to them and give them a sense that they aren’t alone, and counsel them for planning future studies, skill development and career.

c. Livelihood support: Help with purchase of cattle or other animals, other income generating activities such as grinding machines, tailoring, petty shops etc. or with continuing agriculture.

2. Preventing distress/suicides by ensuring that farmers get their entitlements from the government

a. Helping tenant farmers get loan eligibility cards and bank loans, by generating awareness and campaigning with government officials.

b. Support women farmers, especially from farmer suicide families to access their rights to land and government schemes for livelihoods.

c. Help farm suicide families get ex gratia support from government

d. Organizing meetings at field level and state level, spreading awareness through media and public interactions.

• Assistance provided to 25 - 50 distressed families in the form of children’s education or livelihood support.

• Mentorship program will be provided for 20 children, selecting suitable mentors.

• Help to 1000 tenant farmers to file applications, get LEC cards and government support.

• Help to at least 100 single-women farmers to get land rights and government support

• Create pressure on government to change policies in favour of tenant farmers and women farmers