Suicide Statistics

The National Crime Records Bureau of India reported in its 2012 annual report that
135,445 people committed suicide in India, of which 13,754 were farmers
(11.2%). Of these, 5 out of 29 states accounted for 10,486 farmers suicides (76%)
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala.
In 2011, a total of 135,585 people committed suicide out of which 14,207 were
farmers.In 2010, 15,963 farmers in India committed suicide
In 2012, the state of Maharashtra,epicenter of suicides with 3,786 farmers'
suicides, accounted for about a quarter of the all India's farmer suicides total
(13,754). From 1995 to 2013, a total of 296,438 Indian farmers committed suicide.
Farmer suicides rates in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh two large states of India by size
and population have been about 10 times lower than Maharashtra, Kerala and
Pondicherry. In 2012, there were 745 farmer suicides in Uttar Pradesh. In 2014 there
were eight farmer suicides in Uttar Pradesh.
According to IFFRI study number of suicides during 20052009 in Gujarat 387,
Kerala 905, Punjab 75 and Tamil Nadu 26.While 1802 farmers committed suicide
inChhattisgarh in 2009 and 1126 in 2010, its farmers suicide dropped to zero in
2011, leading to accusations of data manipulation.

Maharashtra is by far the epicentre of the crisis, with over 10,000 recorded farm
suicides between 2011 and 2013. This year, the Marathwada region alone has seen
over 200 farmer suicides in just three months.
According to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, the total of number of suicides
committed by farmers for agrarian reasons in the last three years stands at 3313.

The five States Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala
accounted for 3301 of them

FARMERS SUICIDE STATISTICS On an average 38 farmers commit suicide

everyday in India, one Indian farmer commits suicide every 32 minutes between
1997 and 2005 and since 2012, this has become one suicide every 30 minutes.
1803 women farmers committed suicide in 2012. 13754 farmers committed
suicide in the country in 2012. Almost 75 per cent of farmer suicides have
occurred amongst the small and medium farmers. Indebtedness was the reason
behind the suicide of 93% farmers.

COMMON FEATURES IN MAJORITY OF SUICIDES 91-94 % of suicides are by

family heads. 91-97 % of those who committed suicide are males. 84 to 89
percent are married. 86.5 percent of farmers who took their own lives were
financially indebted

REASONS FOR FARMERS SUICIDE IN INDIA

1. GENERAL VIEW indebtedness, 93%, 24% economic downfall, 74%,
19% conflict in family, 55%, 14% crop failure, 41%, 11% dent in
social status, 36%, 10% daughter/sister's marriage, 34%, 9%
addiction, 28%, 7% health promblems, 21%, 6%
2. DROUGHT The most immediate consequence of drought is a fall in
crop production, due to inadequate and poorly distributed rainfall.
Farmers are faced with harvests that are too small to both feed their
families, fodder supplies from crop residues to feed their livestock
and fulfill their other commitments forcing them to drastic
measures. The drastic measures can include changing jobs or
suicides.
3. MONSOONS Farmers in India over dependence on the monsoons.
There is regular break down in the meteorological cycle of rainfall,.
In India, 93% of area fall under dry land farming, which means
totally dependent on the rainfall as irrigation systems are scarce,
not equally spread and are not efficient Sometimes more than
normal rains causes flood which also destroys the crop.
4. LACK OF PROPER IRRIGATION Indian farmers are heavily
dependent on monsoons,. They dont have any source for proper
irrigation farming. Irrigation farming is when crops are grown with
the help of irrigation systems by supplying water to land through
rivers, reservoirs, tanks, and wells. 58% of farmers having
committed suicides had absolutely no irrigation facilities.

5. GROUNDWATER Due to overdependence on groundwater for all

purposes domestic or industrial and with no law against it in India,
ground water table is decreasing at an alarming rate. Many farmers
due to lack of proper irrigation systems, use tube wells and are now
facing problems due to it.
6. LACK OF POWER SUPPLY Many tasks related to agriculture are
power/electric dependent. Costly or no electricity supply proves to
a significant problem.
7. EXPENSIVE TECHNOLOGIES New technologies are better but they
come with a big price tags, which are either too costly to be bought
or they get their money through loans which again push them into
debt.
For Example , Monsanto has caused a massive 291,000 suicides in India
with its GMOs,
chemical creations, and shameless business
practices.
. . . the motivations for these suicides follow a familiar pattern: Farmers become
trapped in a cycle of debt trying to make a living growing Monsantos genetically
engineered Bt cotton which are expensive.They always live close to the edge,
but one seasons ruined crop can dash hopes of ever paying back their loans, much
less enabling their families to get ahead

The Bt cotton seeds cost nearly twice as much as ordinary ones. The higher costs
forced many farmers into taking ever larger loans, often from private moneylenders
charging exorbitant interest rates (60% a year). The moneylender was claimed to
collect his dues at harvest time, by compelling farmers to sell their cotton to him at
a price lower than it fetches on the market. According to activists, this created a
source of debt and economic stress, ultimately suicides, among farmers.
8. MISGUIDED POLICIES Government only help a fraction of farmers.
The waiver given by government helps only if the loan has been
taken from a government- backed institution, but most farmers in
India borrow from moneylenders at the start of the sowing season to
buy seeds and other ingredients. Farmers' demands were not
taken into count while preparing the relief package. Neither were
civil society organizations, local government bodies, panchayats etc
consulted.
9. GIRL CHILD Dowry is still present in many parts of India. Dowry
creates financial pressure on the family head.

10.

GREEN REVOLUTION

11.
INDEBTEDNESS Indebtedness was the reason behind the
suicide of 93% farmers. Out of 17.64 Lakh farmers only (25.3%)
farmers could avail institutional finance in 2005-06. Private money
lenders charge high interest rates between 48-60% p.a. Higher
rate of interest in the cooperative credit system e.g. up to 12.5% to
14% till last year. cooperative sector brought down their interest
rates to 7%, even then the farmers are taking loans from the private
individuals.
12.
REASONS FOR INDEBTEDNESS Indebtedness Increasing cost of
agriculture inputs Repeated crop loss Increasing dependence on
money lenders at high rates of interest. Withdrawal of government
support Reduced price of agriculture produces
13.
CROP FAILURE There are many different reasons for crop
failure Drought,Climate Change Personal Enmity ,Natural Calamity
,Pests, Insects ,Heavy Monsoon ,Late Monsoon
14.
The seeds which the private sector brought in are called as
neutral seed or dummy seed because it makes the land neutral and
moreover it doesnt support the cycle of repeated sowing. NEUTRAL
SEEDS

15.

LOAN WAIVER POLICY

16.
OTHERS Social Status Loan Waiver Policy Neutral seeds
Rising Costs of Cultivation Uncertainty of agricultural enterprise in
India Medias Move

17.

IMPACT OF SUICIDES

Suicides leads to loss of sole bread winner in the family.

Widows burdened with the new responsibility as the sole breadwinner.
It causes a lot of psychological distress to family.

 There is increased social stigma.

Impact on childrens education.
Other family members attempting suicides.
Children sometimes lose both parents to suicide, forcing their education
to a halt, especially if they have to work in order to provide for their
needs.
Farms are confiscated due to inability to pay back high interest loans.
There is also loss of assets i.e.
domestic animals and agriculture
implements.
The families moves from farm labor to permanent labor.
This also leads to child labor and detoriation of physical health

Social Media Awareness to prevent Suicide

1. Agriculture extension services .
2. PROVIDE FINANCIAL LITERACY ( HOW TO USE CREDIT, WORK OUT ON COSTBENEFIT ANALYSIS OF INVESTMENT, RISK COPING MECHANISM I.E., INSURANCE
CROP & LIFE, INCREASING SAVINGS).
3. BUILDING SOCIAL SYSTEMS & STRENGTHENING THEM ( FARMERS GROUPS
EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT COPING MECHANISMS, BEST AGRICULTURE PRACTICES).
4. FOCUS ON CREATING ALTERNATE LIVELIHOODS.
5. ENCOURAGE MULTIPLE CROPPING.
6. GENERATE AWARENESS ON PESTICIDE USAGE.
7. PROVIDE TIMELY GOVERNMENT INPUT SUBSIDY TO THE FARMERS
8. PROVIDE QUALITY OF SEEDS.
9. GOVERNMENT IN ADVANCE SHOULD STATE THE PREMIUM PRICE FOR THE CROPS.
10 More THAN HALF OF THOSE WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE WERE BETWEEN
20 AND 45, THEIR MOST PRODUCTIVE YEARS. The online world has
emerged as a space where young people feel safe and comfortable
expressing their thoughts

11. Shortened message to a person who has expressed suicidal intent

online
12. Message to a person who is concerned about a friend who has
expressed suicidal intent
13. Message to post as a comment to be viewed by the public
14. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services Suicide Prevention Lifeline operates on Twitter, Facebook,
and YouTube
15. Facebook groups have sometimes been set up for suicide prevention
purposes,including one that attracted 47,000 members