Agrarian Distress and Farmer Suicides in Karnataka -An Overview

Abstract

The agrarian distress has become a chronic problem to the State of Karnataka and the men at the helm of affairs would do well to appreciate that livelihood and welfare of agrarian community would have to form the foreground of every policy decision. The following is an in-depth overlay of social, economic and environmental components leading to the increasing number of farmer suicides in the state. Key drivers are increased indebtedness, crop failure induced by erratic weather conditions, poor institutional credit accessibility, and volatile market prices. The structural issues in agriculture, including small-scale farming, inadequate irrigation, and ineffective policy implementation, only contribute to worsening the problem. Based on regional level data and case studies, the paper draws broad patterns and cause of farmers' distres in Karnataka. The success of government interventions and subsidies to alleviate the crisis are also assessed. The results imply a critical demand for comprehensive policy interventions tackling both economic and mental aspects of agrarian distress. While rural infrastructure is a priority, as is access to credit, sustainable farming and mental health support. This class perspective of rural economy could help to enhance the wider debate on rural development, and raise its voice against more resilient as well as inclusive agricultural policies in Karnataka.