Agricultural crisis and farmers suicides in India

Abstract

Agricultural sector is the main income for the rural people in India. It plays a significant role in their life. In India, small and marginal farmers account for 70%, according to the 2011 census of the Government of India. These small and marginal farmers took credit from banks and private money lenders. The non-repayment of credit led to an agricultural crisis and farmers’ suicide. This study focused on the reasons that caused such a disaster. The study rests on a review of the literature which was extracted from journals, reports, and newspapers from 2004 to 2019. The review identified the following reasons for the agricultural crisis and farmer’s suicides-poverty, indebtedness, crop failures, distress, lack of awareness on new technologies, inadequate debt, marketing of produce, the high interest of non-institutional credit, and depletion of water levels. The article concluded noting that-the government had to shift its focus from industries to agriculture and shift its agricultural policies from short-term to long-term ones.