Presidential Address

By Dr K K Mishra

Respected seniors and Dear friends good afternoon I am thankful to all the Members of westzone for giving me this opportunity to work for our great society for Next one yr ,Over last one decade I worked in collaboration with different NGOS on the sensitive issue of farmers suicide in Vidharbha region of Maharashtra .I am grateful to all my faculties,Residents,farmers and their family who supported in my journey over last one decade.I dedicate my address to the Farmers & their families of India and this region in particular who lost their life.   

Introduction

       Farming is considered as a happy and healthy way of life.(1) In spite of that studies across the globe have documented agriculture as one of the most dangerous industries and the agrarian population are subjected to several physical, biological and chemical hazards. Those factors are further compounded by volatile market condition, limited availability in terms of off farm employment, growing cost of machinery, and untimely crop failure due to climate crisis, leading to higher rates of mental health issues among farmers( 2). Since 1995, more than 3 lakhs farmers have committed suicide in India.  Maharashtra especially has a higher number of farmer suicides in comparison to other states . Farmer suicides account for approximately 10% of all suicides in India.               The global status of farmer suicides is a significant concern, with India experiencing one of the highest recorded rates since the 1970s. Stressors such as drought, financial, administrative issues, relationship difficulties, rural lifestyle and mentality, psychiatric comorbidities, substance use, coping strategies, ready access to chemical pesticides/fertilizers have exacerbated the crisis.                  The scoping review of trends across countries and cultural contexts highlights the need for suicide prevention strategies that consider both biological, social, and psychological dimensions ( 4) 

Magnitude of Problem  

          Five states  India ,Viz  Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh accounted for about 80% of total farming sector suicides in 202 According to the NCRB’s Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2023 report:

• 10,786 individuals associated with the agricultural sector (farmers and agricultural labourers) died by suicide in 2023.
• This represents 3% of the total 1,71,418 suicides recorded nationwide in that year.
• Maharashtra and Karnataka accounted for the majority of cases, with 38% and 22% respectively. .

Recent data From Maharashtra:

·         4248 farmer suicides (38% of all farming sector suicides) occurred in Maharashtra in 2022. The Marathwada and Vidarbha regions continue to be particularly vulnerable.

·         2,851 farmers died by suicide in Maharashtra in 2023, according to data from the state’s relief and rehabilitation department. The Vidarbha region (1,439 suicides) and Marathwada region (1,088 suicides) were highly affected.

·         The state recorded 2,635 farmer suicides in  2024. While there was a reduction of 216 deaths compared to the previous year, it indicates the crisis is far from resolved.

·         Between January and March 2025 there were 767 farmer suicides recorded in Maharashtra while between March and April 2025, 479  suicides were reported.ref

Farmer Suicide Data From Vidarbha:

·         2023: Vidarbha recorded 1,439 farmer suicides, the highest number for any region in Maharashtra during that year

·         During the first half of 2024, Vidarbha’s Amravati division recorded 557 farmer suicides, the most affected division in Maharashtra.

·         During 1^st Three Months of 2025: Out of 767 farmer suicides in the state  257 cases were from Vidarbha itself

Factors influencing

Debt & Crop Failure: Families shifted from working in a diverse variety of traditional occupations (e.g., leatherwork, fishing, poultry) to single-crop farming(Bt cotton in Vidarbha), often-incurring heavy debts due to crop failures and pesticide costs.

Faulty government food and farming policies in India have resulted in a systemic crisis characterized by environmental degradation, inefficient resource distribution and consequently, low farmer incomes. Government policies were often found to prioritize crop production over farmer welfare and sustainability.

Alcohol & Mental Health: Survivors often turned to alcohol or other substance use and developed psychosomatic illnesses (headaches, dizziness, depression) due to occupational stressors.

Full time vs Part time farming: When fully dependent on it, farming is a high-risk, physically demanding lifestyle in comparison to a conventional 9-5 job. In contrast, part-time farming offers a safer transition, acting as a secondary source of income that allows for agricultural engagement without the immediate threat of livelihood loss. 

Toxic Landscapes: Excess cotton cultivation created “toxic landscapes” due to extreme reliance on hazardous pesticides and chemical fertilizers leads to severe health issues among farmers, widespread soil degradation, and high, debt-inducing cultivation costs that drive farmers to despair.

Lack of aptitude for labour oriented farming is a growing issue driven by socio-economic shifts, declining interest among youth, and the physically demanding, low-reward nature of manual agricultural work. This trend is characterized by rural youth leaving for urban jobs, leaving behind an aging workforce that struggles with modernization.

Transition from Basket to Bag: This refers to the modernization and commercialization of agricultural logistics, moving from traditional, small-scale, manual methods of harvesting and selling (baskets) to bulk-packaged, standardized. This is often middleman-controlled and farmers, particularly smallholders become vulnerable to exploitation due to a lack of market information, high transportation costs, and limited access to cold storage.

Stressors in Farming

• Farmers face unique stressors linked to:
  • Physical environment (climate variability, isolation).
  • Family structure (intergenerational farming pressures).
  • Economic uncertainty (volatile markets, debt, declining profitability).

Factors influencing farmer suicides particularly in Vidarbha region:

• Lack of basis social infrastructure like all-weather road, drinking water, regular electricity, primary health care, and basic education in rural areas of Vidarbha
• Cotton farmers paying more prices for seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, electricity, water and labor in comparison to cotton price.
• Absence of adequate social support, uncertainty of agriculture enterprise, indebtedness, rising cost of cultivation, rising prices of farm commodities, lack of credit facility for small farmers, absence of irrigation facilities, repeated crop failures, dependence on rainfall, easy accessibility and availability of poisons (5)

Report of green earth social development consulting

In April 2007, Green Earth Social Development Consulting released a report analysing the government relief packages for farmers in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, an area heavily affected by farmer distress and suicides. The report evaluated how effective the state and central government interventions were in helping farmers.

Key Findings of the Report

1. Farmers were not consulted

• The report found that farmers’ demands and experiences were not considered when designing the relief packages.
• Local institutions like panchayats, civil society groups, and farmer organizations were also not involved in the planning process.

2. Relief package reused old schemes

• Most measures were just combinations of existing government schemes, rather than new solutions for farmer distress.
• Only a few new components, such as a farmer helpline and direct financial assistance, were added.

3. Helplines were ineffective

• The farmer helpline included in the relief package did not provide meaningful support or solutions to farmers facing crises.

4. Problems in selecting beneficiaries

• The criteria for deciding which farmers would receive assistance were unclear.
• In many cases, farmers received inappropriate support, such as:
• Farmers without water access receiving pump sets
• Farmers needing bullocks receiving seeds/pesticide .

5. Low awareness among farmers

• Many farmers did not even know about the relief packages, meaning the schemes failed to reach those who needed them most. (6)

Preventive Strategies to lower farmer suicide rates

1. Decrease availability & accessibility to pesticides & insecticides many farmer suicides were in impulsive ingestion of highly toxic pesticides, which are often easily available in rural households. Few measures to combat this issue are :

• Safe storage practices: Encourage locked boxes or community storage facilities so chemicals are not kept openly at home.(Srilanka Model)
• Regulation of highly hazardous pesticides: Gradually phase out the most lethal compounds and promote safer alternatives.
• Controlled sales: Require licenses, proper identification, or record keeping for bulk purchases.
• Awareness campaigns: Educate farmers and families about the dangers of unsafe storage and substance use.

2) Alcohol.-Study revealed Alcohol as one of the major factor in the cases of attempted suicide,almost one third of cases were under the influence of Alocohol

3)Responsible & sensitive media reporting: Media plays a powerful role in shaping           public perception and behaviour.

• Avoid sensationalism: Dramatic headlines or detailed descriptions of suicide methods can trigger copycat incidents.
• Focus on solutions: Highlight stories of resilience, recovery, and successful government/NGO interventions.
• Respect dignity: Avoid blaming individuals or exposing grieving families.
• Include help resources: Every report should mention helplines, counselling services, and support systems.
• Contextual reporting: Emphasize systemic issues (debt, crop failure, climate stress) rather than portraying suicide as a personal failure

2. Training the gatekeepers: Gatekeepers are people who regularly interact with farmers and can identify early warning signs.Those are Religious leaders,school teachers,Agriculture workers etc

• Who they are: Teachers, local leaders, spiritual heads, police officers.
• Training focus:
  • Recognizing signs of distress (withdrawal, hopelessness, talk of debt or death)
  • How to respond empathetically (non-judgmental listening)
  • Referral pathways to mental health or financial support services
• Why it matters: Farmers often do not seek formal mental health care, so trusted community figures become the first line of support.

3. Promoting & supporting NGOs: Non-governmental organizations often reach areas where formal systems struggle.

     Roles NGOs can play:

• • Crisis helplines and counselling services
  • Debt advisory and legal aid
  • Community-based mental health programs
  • Training gatekeepers and running awareness campaigns

Solutions

• Comprehensive and affordable insurance schemes for farmers and crops
• Better water management system such as rainwater harvesting, riverbed development, and river water sharing.
• Avoid borrowing from private money lenders as they are known to be the plastic bags of economy
• Elimination of middle man and direct reach of farmer to the market
• Educating farmers on safe use of pesticide – (Sri Lanka Experience) (Ref 8&9)
• Proper implementation of subsidies, loan waiving, crop insurance.
• Avoid immediate relief measures given only after a farmer dies by suicide as they may unintentionally incentivize death of farmer. Thus, it is better to focus on preventive support via long-term policies rather than reactionary post-suicide compensation.
• Secondary rural investment in dairy farming, poultry farming, and animal husbandry
• Unnecessary and harmful social practice in the form of alcohol, substance abuse, dowry gifts, and wedding expenditure must be discouraged.
• Establishment of storage and food processing units in the rural areas to prevent crop wastage.

Role of Mental Health Professional

Mental Health professionals can:

• Help deal with substance addiction via de-addiction and rehabilitation programs
• Advocate for development of adequate mental health services and crisis intervention systems in rural areas
• Collaborate with NGOs to design and run community-based mental health programs for farmers such as stress management workshops, psychoeducation about depression and suicide warning signs, group counselling sessions for farmers and their families etc.

Psychiatrist’s  Mental Health Professional Role:

• Farmer suicides are often linked to depression, anxiety, and stress.
• Rural mental health services are limited, and stigma prevents farmers from seeking help.
• Psychiatrists can help tackle the above issues via counselling, early detection of mental health issues( Depression to substance Abuse) initiation of suicide prevention programs.
• Advocacy with the help of NGOs can of great help

Interdisciplinary Approach:

• Psychiatry and anthropology together can provide a holistic approach for treatment of mental health disorders in the farming community- Psychiatrists can address individual mental health, while anthropologists can shed light on systemic and cultural factors contributing to self Harm
• As responsible citizen of the country we must work hard and help this vulnerable population or else we will loose the major proportion of our Arnadata .
• Thank u very much for patience hearing and looking forward to your valuable suggestions, Jai Jawan Jai Kishan, Jai Hind ,Jai West zone Psychiatric Society.  

      References:

1. Kannuri, N. K., & Jadhav, S. (2021). Cultivating distress: cotton, caste and farmer suicides in India. Anthropology & Medicine, 28(4), 558–575.
2. Fraser CE, Smith KB, Judd F, Humphreys JS, Fragar LJ, Henderson A. Farming and mental health problems and mental illness. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2005 Dec;51(4):340-9. doi: 10.1177/0020764005060844. PMID: 16400909
3. Behere PB, Bhise MC. Farmers’ suicide: Across culture. Indian J Psychiatry. 2009 Oct-Dec;51(4):242-3. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.58286. PMID: 20048446; PMCID: PMC2802368.
4. Shoib, S., Saeed, F., Amanda, T.W. et al.Suicide among farmers: a scoping review of trends across countries and cultures. Curr Psychol 45, 33 (2026).
5. Behere PB, Behere AP. Farmers’ suicide in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state: A myth or reality? Indian J Psychiatry. 2008 Apr;50(2):124-7. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.42401. PMID: 19742218; PMCID: PMC2738339.
6. Report of green earth social development consulting, April 2007
7. Bonvoisin, T., Utyasheva, L., Knipe, D., Gunnell, D., & Eddleston, M. (2020). Suicide by pesticide poisoning in India: A review of pesticide regulations and their impact on suicide trends. BMC Public Health, 20, 251.
8. Gunnell, D., Fernando, R., Hewagama, M., Priyangika, W., Konradsen, F., & Eddleston, M. (2007). The impact of pesticide regulations on suicide in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Epidemiology, 36(6), 1235–1242.
9. Hawton, K., & van Heeringen, K. (2009). Suicide. The Lancet, 373(9672), 1372–1381.