Farm Suicides In India 2019 – Burning Issues

Table of Contents

The number of suicides by those engaged within the farm sector witnessed a marginal decline in 2019 as in comparison with 2018,
With their share within the nation’s 39 lakh suicides too falling to 7.4% from 7.7% in the course of the corresponding interval.

Number of farm deaths

The year 2019 witnessed 10,281 suicides by farmers and agricultural workers,
A decline from 10,349 in 2018 and 10,665 in 2017.
There were 11,379 such suicides in 2016.
Of the 10,281 suicides by farmers/cultivators and agricultural labourers reported last year,
5,957 farmers/cultivators and 4,324 agricultural labourers.
Out of 5,957, farmer/cultivator suicides, a total of 5,563 were men while 394 were women.
Out of 4,324 suicides committed by agricultural labourers, 3,749 were men and 575 were women.
However, these numbers could be higher as
West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Delhi, Lakshadweep and Puducherry have reported zero suicides of farmers as well as agricultural labourers.

Maharashtra accounted for the highest share (38.2%) in suicides associated to the farm sector in 2019,
Followed by Karnataka (19.4%), Andhra Pradesh (10%), Madhya Pradesh (5.3%) and
Telangana/Chhattisgarh (4.9% each).
Among the states, Maharashtra has the highest number of farmer and agricultural workers dying by suicide at 3,927,
Which was an increase from 3,594 reported in 2018.
The state had reported 3,701 suicides in 2017 and 3,661 in 2016.
Karnataka witnessed a decline in the number of the suicide of people engaged in the agricultural sector.
While in 2018, the state witnessed 2,405 suicides, last year saw 1,992 farmers.
At least seven states, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, have more agricultural labourers dying by suicide compared to farmers.
In Gujarat, where 118 people engaged in the farming sector took their own lives, only 3 were farmers while the rest were agricultural labourers.
While in Tamil Nadu, 421 agricultural workers and 6 farmers took the extreme step.
In Kerala, 128 out of 150 suicides were that of agricultural labourers.

All India Kisan Sabha Joint Secretary Vijoo Krishnan said the numbers in the NCRB report did not reflect the actual ground situation.
“These numbers are questionable. Many states have shown zero suicides in the farm sector. In other states, there is under-reporting. We can provide the identity and addresses of such people in these states. Despite repeated demands, the government is not listening to farmers’ demand for loan waiver and proper minimum support price.”

Unless the government accepts that there is distress in the agricultural sector, these distress suicides will not stop.
There is no acknowledgement of the distress and that is the reason why there is no solution from the government.
Agricultural workers’ suicides take place because there was not enough work for them.
Besides, they could not find work through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA), While many are not paid on time by those who hire them.

Q) Consider the following statements-