Crisis in Agricultural Heartland: Farm Suicides in Malwa Region of Punjab, India

Punjabi farmer suicides represent a broader problem related to the marginalization of the rural sector to the benefit of burgeoning towns and cities in the developing world. Studying and addressing this issue can provide important lessons for future rural development interventions and also serve as a reminder of the importance of holistic analysis of the many layers of human rights issues implicated in sudden economic expansion policies. Farmer suicides in postconflict Punjab also represent how unfulfilled socio-economic rights can fuel both inwardand outward-facing violence and insecurity. Only through an immediate and a multi-staged response plan, combining policy changes by the Central and State Government with the guidance of civil society, can the Punjabi farmer truly bask in the reported glory of “India Rising”. INTRODUCTION India is an Agrarian country with around 60 per cent of its people directly or indirectly depends upon Agriculture. Agriculture in India is often attributed as gambling with Monsoon because of its almost exclusive dependency on monsoons. The failure of these monsoons leading to series of droughts lack of better prices, exploitation by Middleman have been leading to series of suicides committed by farmers across India especially in Punjab. The current spate of farmers suicides highlighted by the media first in Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and now in Punjab, is certainly a disturbing phenomenon. Punjab is going to approach environmentalism, labour diversification, and its economic growth moving forward. It already boosts one of the highest unemployment rates in India, and despite its agricultural success, farmer livelihoods have been declining, resulting in a record number of farmer suicides. The various reasons, for suicides among Punjab farmers are perturbing enough to warrant a serious study. Hence there is need for an objective and systematic study of the incidence and causes of suicides in Punjab. Farmer suicides in Punjab expose the extreme rural plight that is otherwise shadowed by the prevalent narrative of “India Rising”—the billion-strong nation of India as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The state of Punjab has been showcased as an Indian agricultural success story since the Green Revolution, which was the parcel of development initiatives undertaken by developed countries in the late 1960s and 1970s to aid developing counties in increasing their crop yield. Yet, since this time there has been a steady increase in the number of economically-related suicides by Punjabi farmers. During the Green Revolution, production was improved with the use of modified seeds that increased yield only when combined with expensive chemical fertilizers and irrigation. Unable to afford sufficient amounts of these expensive inputs, small farmers found their holdings becoming progressively less profitable. Meanwhile, grain prices remained comparatively low even as input costs increased. Now, three decades later, the small and marginal farmers of Punjab, in trying to pursue environmentally and economically unsustainable agrarian practices, are accumulating high debt while lacking alternative sources of income. As a result, farmers, their unions, concerned NGOs, and several academics conclude that agriculture has become a losing proposition in Indian Punjab, the farming heartland of South Asia for generations. In the present case, suicides among Punjab farmers have by all means become a public. Issue as these are no longer confined to isolated cases. 1.2 Research objectives To achieve the research objective, the following specific objectives were formulated: 1. To find out if there has been an increase in the incidence of suicide, particularly farmer’s suicide in Punjab in the last 20 year. 2. To identify the distinctive socio-economic characteristics of the case of suicide. 3. To find out the relationship between indebtness and suicide. IJOART International Journal of Advancements in Research & Technology, Volume 4, Issue 2, February -2015 108 ISSN 2278-7763 Copyright © 2015 SciResPub. IJOART 1.3 Research Methodology In accordance with the objectives and research questions, the study were conducted in Rural Punjab (especially in Malwa region).The data have been drawn from Secondary sources. The main sources of secondary data are as follows: • Census of India 2001and 2011 • National crime Record Bureau 2005 • Economical and Statistical Organisation; Punjab Statistical Abstract • Punjab Police Statistics • Newspaper reports on farmer’s suicide. On the basis of information gathered from the above sources, a macro context was develop which located in Punjab on all India scene of suicide and their causes identified the level of proneness of various districts of Punjab. 1.5 Limitations of the study It is of course is never very easy to get at the objective reality but in the present study it was even more difficult because of the highly subjective nature of the problem of the study and the suicide victim being no more there to be examined. Under the circumstances we had to resort not only to cross check the information with various sources. These limitations notwithstanding, we have done our best to ensure the reliability of the information as well as its quality. 2. Study Area Punjab – The state of Punjab located in North West India, bordering Pakistan extent from 29°32’ to 32°32’ North and 73°55’ to 76°50’ east. It is surrounded by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir in the north, the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh in the East by the state of Haryana and Rajasthan in the South. It covers geographical area of 50362 square kilometres and is one of the smallest states in India. Fig.1 Socio Culturally, the state is classified into three regions – Majha, which is land between rivers Ravi and Beas; Doaba, which lies between rivers Satluj and Beas and Malwa the region south of river Satluj. Our study area is located in the Malwa region south, of river Satluj. The study area comprises nine districts of Malwa region in Punjab namely Sangrur, Barnala, Moga, Ferozpur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar, Bathinda and Mansa. The study area includes 2102 villages. Fig.2 2.1 Size The total area of the present Punjab is approximately 50,362 kilometres. The present Punjab comprises of 4 divisions, 22 districts, 77tehsils, 78 sub tehsils and 140 blocks. Punjab is inhabited by 12267 villages and 217 towns and cities of Punjab. The major cities of Punjab are Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali and Bathinda. 2.2 Climate Punjab climate is characterized by extreme cold had extreme hot conditions. Annual temperatures in Punjab IJOART International Journal of Advancements in Research & Technology, Volume 4, Issue 2, February -2015 109 ISSN 2278-7763 Copyright © 2015 SciResPub. IJOART range from −2 to 40 °C (min/max), but can reach 47 °C (117 °F) in summer and −4 °C in winter. The northeast area lying near the foothills of the Himalayas receives heavy rainfall, whereas the area lying further south and west receives less rainfall and experiences higher temperatures. Average annual rainfall ranges between 960 mm in the sub-mountain region and 460 mm in the plains. Punjab has three seasons:  Summer Season (April to June), when temperature typically rise as high as 110°F.  Monsoon season (July to September), when a majority of rainfall occurs.  Winter Season (December to February), when temperature typically fall as low as 40°F. There is a transitional period between winter and summer in March and early April, as well as a transitional season between monsoon season and winter in October and November 2.3 Drainage In the primitive times Punjab was known as “Panchnada” the land of five rivers. Geographically, the drainage system of Punjab is quite complicated. At present three main rivers mainly Ravi, Beas and Sutlej flows through the Punjab. Along with these rivers Ghaggar, White Bein, Black Bein, Kiran Nala, Chakki Nala, and numberless chose too flow through Punjab. 2.4 Soil The fertile plains of Punjab boast of producing about two-third of the food grains produced annually in India. This is largely owing to the fertile soil of the Punjab. Climatic differences result in a variety of soil which ultimately culminates into a wide range of crop and sand vegetation in Punjab. South-western Punjab (Malwa Region) is mainly dominated by calcareous soil which includes the desert soil and sierozem soil. The pH value in this zone ranges from 7.8 to 8.5 and also have grey and red desert soil, regosol soil and alluvial soil. The soil of central Punjab ranges from sandy loam to clayey with pH value from 7.8 to 8.5 making alkalinity and salinity problematic for this place. The alluvial soil of this zone can be widely described as arid and brown soil or tropical arid brown soil. The soil in Eastern Punjab is loamy to clayey. 2.5 Relief Relief leaves a deep impact on the environment, inhabitants and mode of living of the people in that area. Generally it is so opined that Punjab represents the vast flood plains of river Sutlej of the country, but the reality does not go exactly with this version. To the geologist, Punjab has mainly the following geological formations:• Siwalik hill or sub mountain range • The Kandi Region • Great Alluvial Plains • South – West sand dunes. Punjab Land of Farmer’s Suicide Farmer suicides in Punjab expose the extreme rural plight that is otherwise shadowed by the prevalent narrative of “India Rising”—the billion-strong nation of India as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The state of Punjab has been showcased as an Indian agricultural success story since the Green Revolution, which was the parcel of development initiatives undertaken by developed countries in the late 1960s and 1970s to aid developing counties in increasing their crop yield. Yet, since this time there has been a steady increase in the number of economically-related suicides by Punjabi farmers. During the Green Revolution, production was improved with the use of modified seeds that increased yield only when combined with expensive chemical fertilizers and irrigation. Unable to afford sufficient amounts of these expensive inputs, small farmers found their holdings becoming progressively less profitable. Meanwhile, grain prices remained comparatively low even as input costs increased. Now, three decades later, the small and marginal farmers of Punjab, in trying to pursue environmentally and economically unsustainable agrarian practices, are accumulating high debt while lacking alternative sources of income. As a result, farmers, their unions, concerned NGOs, and several academics conclude that agriculture has become a losing proposition in Indian Punjab, the farming heartland of South Asia for generations. In Indian Punjab, one various groups are reporting a significant number of farmer suicides. Movement against State Repression (MASR), an NGO working in Southern Punjab for the past two decades, has recorded 1,738 suicides in 91 Punjabi villages between 1988 and 2014. These 91 villages are from two sub-subdivisions of District Sangrur, one of the 22 districts of Punjab. MASR estimates at least 50,000 suicides have occurred across Punjab over the last two decades, though not all districts are equally affected. Other sources support MASR’s general estimates. A farmers’ union, BhIntermediatries Kisan Union (BKURajewal), estimates 90,000 suicides between 1990 and 2010. Also, a recent State Government-commissioned report by Punjab Agriculture University reports 2,990 suicides in the two Districts – 1256 in Bathinda and 1634 in Sangrur between 1990 and 2010. This report comes within a Punjab government‘s decision to fix a IJOART International Journal of Advancements in Research & Technology, Volume 4, Issue 2, February -2015 110 ISSN 2278-7763 Copyright © 2015 SciResPub. IJOART price for the Farmer suicidesRs 2 lakh to the families of those farmers who have committed suicides in the past one year. This is approximately one suicide every day. About 87 per cent of them were small farmers and agricultural labourers. This report, more or less like a household census, is considered to be the first authentic survey documenting the spate of suicides among farmers and agricultural workers. In Sangrur district, 738 farmers who took the fatal path to escape growing indebtedness, had an average outstanding debt of Rs 3.36 lakh per farmer. For another lot of 246 farmers who committed suicide for other reasons, the average outstanding amount standing against their name was Rs 79,935. As far as farm labourers are concerned, the average debt was Rs 70,036. In Bathinda, the average outstanding due against farmers who could not sustain the growing indebtedness, was Rs 2.94 lakh. As many as 550 farmers belonged to this category. For another lot of 223 farmers who too committed suicide but for other reasons, the average outstanding debt was Rs 85,825. For the workers, the outstanding amount against their name was Rs 47,347 on an average. The report also provides a list of such households. For instances: A Case Study 1. Najam Singh in Mansa district committed suicide in the year 2000 by drowning. He had got his sister married and his younger brother too and his loans were over Rupees 3 lakh. When the Intermediaries or commission agent refused to give him more loans, he simply committed suicide. 2. Mithu Singh of the same district consumed poison on 2nd January 2004 after returning from a meeting with the Intermediaries. He sold his land and got nothing from the Intermediaries as it was considered to be loan repayment. He simply could not take the humiliation and the poverty. 3. In 2001, Jasbeer Singh from Sangrur district owned 3.5 acres and his debts were over Rupees 3 lakh, including the purchase of a truck on loan. He was unable to pay the instalments. The recovery agent had come to his house that day and claimed the truck back. They drove the truck away, which skidded and fell near a pit. Jasbeer Singh was returning home when he saw this from a distance. He rushed to his room and consumed the dreaded pesticide from humiliation or hopelessness or perhaps. 4. In August 2005, 23 year old Dhyan Singh in Sangrur district came from the fields complaining that his stomach was hurting badly. He had already consumed the ‘spray’. It was too late to save him. He had a loan of rupees 6000 already and was trying to take a fresh loan. The marriage expenses of his sister were weighing on Dhyan Singh’s mind of her son’s death, the mother took another loan of Rupees 1 lakh for agricultural purposes. With the help of this new loan she paid part of the earlier loan and also got her daughter married. 5. In 2007, 31 year old Satnam Singh of Ferozepur district consumed poison. Although the couple has been married for more than 10 years and was also greatly troubled by their childlessness, the situation was triggered by his sister ‘wedding, which obliged him to arrange for the dowry money, that was only four months before the suicide. 3.1 Why is Farmers Committing Suicide? The suicides in Punjab are the result of mental stress and this mental stress is most often caused by poverty and especially by indebtedness. Indebtedness and the inability to earn enough income to relief the debt will assault the farmers feeling of self-esteem and respect. In many cases the individuals who committed suicide where responsible for the income and this debt created the feeling that they we incapable of taking care of their loved ones and themselves. This feeling has brought shame upon them and might even have confirmed for them the idea of being backward or underdeveloped. Once this has entered their minds it accumulates and creates a heavy mental burden. It is important to note that it is most likely that most farmers who committed suicide probably blamed themselves for their poverty and indebtedness. The newly introduced farming system has increased cost of production which in turn has led to the indebtedness and the disturbance of the harmony within farmers themselves. These suicides as these acts are showing us that the agricultural system that had been introduced as part of a development, project has failed for especially the weaker parts of Indian society i.e agricultural labourers, marginal and small farmers. In India the marginal and small farmers are being passively sacrificed in the name of progress and policymakers with their lack of creativity and their narrow economic thinking are unable or maybe unwilling to resolve this major crisis although it is happening right underneath their eyes. There near not be a one track solution to the agrarian crisis and steps should be taken that fit the profile of the diverse needs of small and large farmers. Modern farming and focus IJOART International Journal of Advancements in Research & Technology, Volume 4, Issue 2, February -2015 111 ISSN 2278-7763 Copyright © 2015 SciResPub. IJOART on marketing might bring prosperity to a few farmers but it is not the solution for all farmers. 3.3 Characteristics of Suicide Victims 1. Indebtedness was reported major cause of suicides by 30 per cent of the victims’ families following by conflict at home and poor financial position of the house. 2. Around 86 per cent of the victims were actually under debt. 3. Majority of the suicide victims were small and marginal farmers. 4. Majority of the suicide victims were illiterates or semi-literate. 5. A vast majority of the victims belonged to young and middle age groups. 6. Majority of the suicide victims had borrowed money from informal credit agencies and for consumptive purposes. Declining income due to ever increasing cost of production and stagnant farm productivity output prices and high amount of debt were reported to be major causes for non-payment of loans. 3.4 Causes of Farmer Suicide Rapid Increase in Debt. Repeated Crop Failures Lack of Alternative Sources of Income Absence of Financial Institutional Money Lenders Lack of Direct Subsidies Lack of Crop Insurance Rapid increase in cost of seed, Fertilizers and Pesticide and Fuel Costs Sinking water-table and overall rapidly declining profitability We can draw the following causes of the suicides of the