INDIA HAS TRADITIONAL,

COMPARED WITH MODERN.

HOW CAN WE OVERCOME

PROBLEMS OF FARMERS?

What Is Agriculture?
Agriculture, also called farming or husbandry,
is the cultivation of animals,
plants(crops), fungi, and other life forms
for food, fiber,
biofuel and other products used to sustain
human life.

INDIAN
AGRICULTURE
In India, 90 per cent of the
farmers are doing farming
because it is their ancestral
occupation

Introduction
All humans depend on agriculture for food
Urban-industrial societies depend on the base of food surplus
generated by farmers and herders
Without agriculture there could be no civilized life.

HISTORY OF INDIAN AG/C

Indian agriculture began by 9000 BC as a result
of early cultivation of plants.
Double monsoon leads two harvest in a year.
The Grow More Food Campaign (1940s) and
the Integrated Production Program (1950s)
focused on food and cash crops supply
respectively.
In 1960s Green revolution took place.
Agriculture production rose. Export increased at
10% in 1990s.

Introduction
Agriculturethe principal enterprise through
most of history.Today remains the most
important economic activity in the world
Employs 45 percent of the working population
In some parts of Asia and Africa, over 80
percent of labor force is engaged in
agriculture

What is Modern Agriculture?

Modern agriculture is a term used to describe the wide

type of production practices employed by
American farmers.
It makes use of hybrid seeds of selected variety of a single
crop, technologically advanced equipment and lots of
energy subsidies in the form of irrigation water,
fertilizers and pesticides.

Modern Agriculture
More than 90% of farmers today work using the most innovative practices
and growing techniques to produce enough food, fuel
and fiber for a growing world, while minimizing their
environmental footprint at the same time.

The term modern agriculture depicts their

commitment to innovation, stewardship and meeting
the global food challenge all at once there is nothing
conventional about that

Traditional
Agriculture

Traditional Agriculture
Important difference between the categories is the way
farmers see themselves and their roles. Traditional
farmers, say that they seek to work effectively with
resources at hand. That is, they use the land, rainfall,
seeds, tillage methods and power sources they have to

produce what nature offers. Conventional processes are

used to till the land, select and plant seeds, protect plants
from competing plants and animals and gather the

harvest. Surpluses are marketed through nearby outlets.

Such producers frequently report only limited capacity to
change these processes; seek to avoid.

Indian Agriculture- Some Facts

India ranks second worldwide in farm output

Total Geographical Area - 328 million hectares
Net Area sown - 142 million hectares
Gross Cropped Area 190.8 million hectares
Major Crop Production

Rice
94.1 million tones
Wheat
74.8 million tones
Coarse Cereals
36.1 million tones
Pulses
219.3 million tones
Oilseeds
340.3 million tones
Food Grains
27.2 million tones

Why Modern Agriculture is Important?

By 2050, the worlds population is expected to grow to
nearly nine billion the equivalent of two more Chinas
while the ratio of arable land to population continues to
decrease.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
predicts that global food production will double by 2050,
and 70 percent of the worlds additional food needs can be
produced only by adapting new agricultural technologies.
In view of all these challenges, modern agriculture enables
farmers to utilize new innovations, research and scientific
advancements to produce safe, sustainable and affordable food

Why Modern Agriculture is Important?

The significant hunger and malnutrition that persist in many

parts of the world would have been far worse had
agricultural systems not grown and developed as they did .
More people the world over eat more and better because of
modern agriculture. Increased production continues to
enable steadily improving diets, reflecting increased
availability of all foods, dietary diversity and access to highprotein food products .

Types of Agriculture
Types:
Peasant/Subsistence
Commercial

Subsistence farming, or subsistence agriculture, is a mode of agriculture in

which a plot of land produces only enough food to feed the family or small
community working it.
SF the provision of food by farmers only for their own family or the local
community without any surplus.

Types of Agriculture
Types:
Peasant/Subsistence
Commercial
Subsistence farming, or subsistence agriculture,
is a mode of agriculture in which a plot of land
produces only enough food to feed the family or small
community working it.
SF the provision of food by farmers only for their
own family or the local community without any
surplus.

 Commercial farming - The production of crops for

sale, crops intended for widespread distribution to
wholesalers or retail outlets (e.g. supermarkets),
and any non-food crops such as cotton and tobacco.
Includes livestock production and livestock grazing.
Commercial agriculture does not include crops
grown for household consumption (e.g backyard
garden or from a vegetable garden or a few fruit
trees.)
Occurs on a large, profit making scale. These
farmers seek to maximize yields per hectare.

Major contrasts between modern and

smallholder rice farming
Modern Farming:

Smallholder farming:

Large / intermediate scale

Commercial
Mechanised
External inputs (seeds,
ag.chemicals)
Capital intensive

Small variable scale

Self sufficiency surplus
Mainly manual
Local inputs (seeds,
manure, compost, etc.)
Labour intensive

Modern Agricultural
Revolutions
Technology allows much greater production
(surplus) with less human labor, but has high
social and environmental costs.
Metal plows, Reapers, Cotton Gin
Tractors (Internal Combustion Engine)
Combines
Chemical Pesticides/Fertilizers
Hybrid crops
The Green Revolution
Genetically modified crops

Agribusiness:
The industrialization of agriculture
Modern commercial farming is very dependent on inputs of
chemical fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides.
Oil is required to make fertilizer and pesticides.
It takes 10 calories of energy to create 1 calorie of food in
modern agriculture.
Small farmer cant buy needed equipment and supplies.
Fewer than 2% of U.S. population works in agriculture

Shifting Cultivation
Vegetation slashed and then
burned. Soil remains fertile for 2-3
years. Then people move on.
where: tropical rainforests. Amazon, Central
and West Africa, Southeast Asia
Crops: upland rice (S.E. Asia), maize and
manioc (S. America), millet and sorghum
(Africa)

Declining at hands of ranching and

logging.

Pastoral Nomadism
The breeding and herding of
domesticated animals for subsistence.

Bedouin Shepherd

Somali Nomad and Tent

where: arid and semi-arid areas of

N. Africa, Middle East, Central Asia
animals: Camel, Goats, Sheep,
Cattle
transhumance: seasonal migrations
from highlands to lowlands
Most nomads are being pressured
into sedentary life as land is used
for agriculture or mining.

Classifying Agricultural
Regions
Commercial
Agriculture
Mixed Crop and
Livestock Farming
Dairy Farming
Grain Farming
Livestock Ranching
Mediterranean
Agriculture
Truck Farming
North Dakota Potato and Wheat Fields

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming

Where: Ohio to Dakotas, centered on Iowa; much of

Europe from France to Russia
crops: corn (most common), soybeans
In U.S. 80% of product fed to pigs and cattle

Highly inefficient use of natural resources

Pounds of grain to make 1 lb. beef: 10
Gallons of water to make 1 1b wheat: 25
Gallons of water to make 1 1b. beef: 2500

Dairy Farming
Where: near urban areas in United States, Southeast Canada,
Europe

Locational Theory: butter and cheese more

common than milk with increasing distance from
cities and in West.
milkshed: historically defined by spoilage threat; refrigerated trucks
changed this.

Dairy Farm, Wisconsin

Mediterranean Agriculture
Where: areas surrounding the Mediterranean, California, Oregon,
Chile, South Africa, Australia
Climate has summer dry season. Landscape is mountainous.
crops: olives, grapes, nuts, fruits and vegetables; winter wheat
California: high quality land is being lost to suburbanization;
initially offset by irrigation

Truck Farming: Commercial

Gardening and Fruit Farming

Where: U.S. Southeast, New England, near

cities around the world
crops: high profit vegetables and fruits
demanded by wealthy urban populations:
apples, asparagus, cherries, lettuce,
tomatoes, etc.
mechanization: such truck farming is highly
mechanized and labor costs are further
reduced by the use of cheap immigrant (and
illegal) labor.
distribution: situated near urban markets.

Green House
A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse) is a building in
which plants are grown with perfect climatic conditions.
Used to overcome shortcomings in the growing qualities
of a piece of land, such as a short growing season or poor
light levels, and they can thereby improve food production
in marginal environments.

Paddy rice farming

Draft animalswater buffaloused more by
farmers in India
Japanese have mechanized paddy rice farming
Green Revolution
Achieved by introducing hybrid rice during the last half of the
twentieth century
Chemical fertilizers introduced
Heightened productivity achieved

Paddy rice farming

Most paddy rice farms outside Communist area of Asia
are tiny
Three acre plot is considered adequate to support a
farm family
Irrigated rice provides a large output of food per unit
of land
Small patches must be intensively tilled to harvest
enough food
Small rice sprouts carefully transplanted by hand from
seed beds to paddy
Double-croppingharvest same parcel of land two or
three times each year
Apply large amounts of organic fertilizer
Per-acre yields exceed those of American agriculture

Indian Agriculture- Some Facts

Contributes to 14% of
GDP
Provides food to 1Billion
people
Sustains 65% of the
population : helps alleviate
poverty
Produces 51 major Crops
Provides Raw Material to
Industries
Contributes to 1/6th of the
export earnings

Advantages
The last 150 years has witnessed a huge shift in
the U.S.s connection with agriculture.
In 1900, 70 to 80 percent of Americans made
their living from the land. In 2012, that number
has went down to less than 2 percent.
We now import many of our fruits and
vegetables from foreign borders.
New technology like pesticides and mechanical
farm equipments make it possible to grow large
amounts of food with relatively few human
hands.

Advantages
During the latter half of the twentieth century, what is

known today as modern agriculture was very successful

in meeting a growing demand for food by the world's
population.

Yields of primary crops such as rice and wheat increased

dramatically, the price of food declined, the rate of
increase in crop yields generally kept pace with
population growth and the number of malnourished
people was reduced slightly

Disadvantages
Removal of buffers to make large fields for maximum
efficiency leading to lower food costs and greater food
availability to the poor.
It limits the natural habitat of some wild creatures and can
lead to soil erosion.

Disadvantages
Use of fertilizers can alter the biology of rivers
and lakes.
Some environmentalists attribute the hypoxic
zone in the Gulf of Mexico as being encouraged
by nitrogen fertilization of the algae bloom.

India, One of the 12 Bio-diversity centers in

the world with over 46,000 species of plants
and 86,000 species of animals recorded.
However, it has been reported that the annual
earnings of the majority of the agriculture
labour in India are so low that they cannot

meet even their minimum consumption needs.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SUBSISTENCE &

COMMERCIAL FARMERS
TRADITIONAL/SUBSISTENCE

MODERN/COMMERCIAL

Proportion of output sold off the farm

Low

High

Destination of foods

Local direct consumption & some

processed locally

High proportion processed & to food

manufacturers

Draught animals
Legumes, ash, bones, manure
Crop rotations, intercropping

Petroleum, electricity
Chemical fertilisers
Insecticides, fungicides, break crops
Herbicides

Origin of inputs
i.
Power
ii.
Plant nutrients
iii. Pest control
i.
i.
ii.

i.

Weed control
Implements & tools
Seed

Livestock feeds

Rotations, hoeing, use of plough

Hoe, plough, sickle, scythe
From own harvest

Grass & fodder crops grown on

farm/common land

Machinery, often self-propelled

combine harvesters
Purchased from seed merchants
Purchased from compound feed mixers

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SUBSISTENCE &

COMMERCIAL FARMERS
Economic aims

TRADITIONAL/SUBSISTENCE

MODERN/COMMERCIAL

i.
ii.

Profit maximisation

iii.
iv.
v.

Prime aim to provide family food

Land & labour main inputs, few
capital inputs
Diversity of crops grown
Aims at maximising gross output &
yield per acre
Prime aim avoidance of risk;
reluctant to innovate

Capital & land major inputs; labour a

declining input
Specialised production
Aims at maximising output per head &
minimising production costs
Innovation

HOW TO OVER
COME

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
The term sustainable agriculture means an integrated system of plant and
animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over
the long term:
satisfy human food and fiber needs;
enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the
agricultural economy depends;
make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources
and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls;
sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and
enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.

Modern Agriculture Supposed to be

Sustainable Agriculture
Modern agricultural practices enable farmers to meet ALL three
goals of sustainability: conserve and protect natural resources;
meet the food and fuel needs of a growing population; and
be financially viable for both growers and consumers.

Indian Agriculture Scenario

STRENGTHS
Indian agriculture is famous for its rich biodiversity
Almost 60% of Indian land comprises of
agricultural land
Climate is suitable for agriculture
Strong and well dispersed research and
extension system

Indian Agriculture Scenario

WEAKNESS

Average yield in India is just 30% to 50% of

the highest average yield in the world
Agriculture in India is not technically developed
Irrigation facilities are inadequate, which
results in farmers still being dependent on
rainfall
Illiteracy and socio-economic backwardness
results in low productivity in India
Share of agriculture in GDP has declined in
past few years

Indian Agriculture Scenario

OPPORTUNITIES

Expand operations to include planting and

harvesting
Expanding international level markets
Partner with firm that only plants and harvests
crops
Technological development in agriculture
Agro-based Industry
Agricultural education

Indian Agriculture Scenario

THREATS

Unsustainable Resource Use

Unsustainable Regional Development
Change in the government policies
Production of inferior quality of crops
Repetitive cultivation of two staple crops
Low productivity

Mile Stones in Agricultural

Development
Green Revolution
(1968)
Ever-Green Revolution
(1996)
Blue Revolution (water,
fish)
White Revolution (Milk)
Yellow Revolution
(flower, edible)
Bio-Technology
Revolution
ICT Revolution

Green Revolution
The introduction of high-yielding varieties of
seeds and the increased use of fertilizers and
irrigation are known as Green Revolution

It provided the increase in production needed

to make India self-sufficient in food grains
The production of wheat has produced the best
results in fuelling self-sufficiency of India.

NABARD
NABARD is set up as an apex Development Bank with a mandate
for facilitating credit flow for promotion and development of
agriculture
NABARD is entrusted with : Providing refinance to lending institutions in rural areas
Promoting institutional development
Evaluating, monitoring and inspecting the client banks

SUSTAINABLE TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES USED IN THE

CARIBBEAN
Intercropping & polyculture: symbiotic relations tween plants (shade,
rooting systems), plant diversity encourages natural biological
control of insect pests, provides year round food supply.
Crop rotation w/ legumes: helps retain soil fertility & year round food

supply, (rotations involve red peas, gungo peas, cowpeas, string

beans etc)

 Spatial organisation of crops in fields: strip cropping, grass barriers, contour

planting all contribute to soil conservation, planting trees to act as wind
breaks
Fallowing: helps restore soil fertility if sufficient time elapses, helps maintain
vegetative cover to reduce erosion.
Mulching: helps reduce evapotranspiration & soil loss from wind erosion,
adds nutrients to soil, minimises the impact of splash erosion.

 Ramming, fly penning: integrates crops & livestock into household

production, reduces potential erosion by trampling, animal faeces manures
the land.
Kitchen gardens & food forests: traditional types of agroforestry.
Silvo-pasture: combining food trees w/ pasture e.g. coconuts & cattle.

SOME
INTERESTING
FACTS..

THE FARMERS SUCIDE AND NAXALISM

In the same village, with similar land condition, with same crop, one farmer makes profits,
The other commits suicide
Not all farmers commit suicide
The young farmers are educated
They take other means and wed Naxalism
Naxalism not a new movement but has taken new roots in many parts of the country.
In 2003 55 districts, 2004 150 districts, 2006 170 district 1/3 of the country covered.
Young persons prefer brutalism rather than committing suicide even if that has risk to their
life.
Naxalism is a major challenge to democratic system.
Problem not only of agriculture but is a time bomb clicking which can damage the basic fabric
of our constitution
CONCLUSION:
Over all economy growing but Agriculture left behind. Agri occupies 60% of total working
population disparities between rural and urban growing
With Agri sector some are growing and others left behind.

THE FARMERS SUCIDE AND NAXALISM

In the same village, with similar land condition, with same crop, one farmer makes
profits,
The other commits suicide
Not all farmers commit suicide
The young farmers are educated
They take other means and wed Naxalism
Naxalism not a new movement but has taken new roots in many parts of the country.
In 2003 55 districts, 2004 150 districts, 2006 170 district 1/3 of the country
covered.
Young persons prefer brutalism rather than committing suicide even if that has risk to
their life.
Naxalism is a major challenge to democratic system.
Problem not only of agriculture but is a time bomb clicking which can damage the basic
fabric of our constitution
CONCLUSION:
Over all economy growing but Agriculture left behind. Agri occupies 60% of total
working population disparities between rural and urban growing
With Agri sector some are growing and others left behind.

THE PAST EXPERIENCE

Past experience of early 70s

Green revolution brought fruits to farmers, but poor small and marginal farmers did
not benefit.
There were riots in rural areas of our country
The Government of India introduced special programme for assistance of small and
marginal farmers SFDA programme.(1975-80)
This was followed by Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP). (1980)
National Extension Programme also strengthened.
Focus on individual poor family, particularly farmers and artisans. VLW responsible
for providing technical assistance to poor farmers.
Special subsidy provided to obtain productive assets and inputs with back up bank
credit. The programme has great success poverty decline small and marginal
farmers benefited.
But there were left out more than 20% on average
In some areas this proportion is more.
The left-out of development process needed continuous attention.

THE PAST EXPERIENCE

Past experience of early 70s

Green revolution brought

fruits to farmers, but poor

small and marginal farmers did not benefit.

There were riots in rural areas of our country

The Government of India introduced special programme
for assistance of small and marginal farmers SFDA
programme.(1975-80)
This was followed by Integrated Rural Development
Programme

(IRDP).

(1980)

Programme also strengthened.

National

Extension

Focus on individual poor family, particularly

farmers and artisans. VLW responsible for
providing technical assistance to poor farmers.
Special subsidy provided to obtain productive
assets and inputs with back up bank credit. The
programme has great success poverty decline
small and marginal farmers benefited.
But there were left out more than 20% on
average, In some areas this proportion is more.
The left-out of development process needed
continuous attention.

THE LEFT OUT OF DEVELOPMENT

PROCESS

In 90s, focus of IRDP programme shifted

Focus changed to non-farm activities
It obtained new banner of SgSy & SgRy
Poor farmers no longer received special individual attention.
Programme moved to non farm activities, Self Help Groups
The farmers left out of development process, not paid attention and
continued to remain poor.
This is a very large segment
NSSO report on farmers indicated high debt ratio
Andhra Pradesh
- 82%
Tamil Nadu
- 72%
Punjab
- 65%
Kerala
- 64%
Karnataka
- 61%
Gujarat
- 51%
The VLWs and Extension team did not bother about poor farmers.
Focus shifted to farmers who can obtain assistance on their own.

THE LEFT OUT OF DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

In 90s, focus of IRDP programme shifted

Focus changed to non-farm activities
It obtained new banner of SgSy & SgRy
Poor farmers no longer received special individual attention.
Programme moved to non farm activities, Self Help Groups
The farmers left out of development process, not paid attention and
continued to remain poor.
This is a very large segment
NSSO report on farmers indicated high debt ratio
Andhra Pradesh
- 82%
Tamil Nadu
- 72%
Punjab
- 65%
Kerala
- 64%
Karnataka
- 61%
Gujarat
- 51%
The VLWs and Extension team did not bother about poor farmers.
Focus shifted to farmers who can obtain assistance on their own.

FARMERS
FINDINGS BY NSS-59TH ROUND PUBLISHED IN JULY 2005

All India Level

Awareness of technical and institutional development

Farmers liking farming
60%
Seed replacement
30%
Using testing Labs for seeds, fertilizer etc
2%
Accessing knowledge about technology
40%
From Extension Administration
Input dealers

21%
23%

18%

FARMERS
FINDINGS BY NSS-59TH ROUND PUBLISHED IN JULY 2005
All India Level

Awareness technical institutional development

Farmers liking farming
Seed replacement
Using testing Labs for seeds, fertilizer etc
Accessing knowledge about technology
From Extension Administration
Input dealers

18%
60%
30%
2%
40%
21%
23%

 Extension Administration did not bother about poor farmers

Lack of control on quality seeds and inputs and basic guidance for selection
of crop to be grown in rain fed areas based on soil health.
There can be many other reasons like mortgage of land by farmers to
private money lenders/local dealers and so on and so forth.
Left out poor farmers dont have access to new technology and information

Poor farmers started copying the wealthy farmers who had water resource
and new technology, and failed.
Result farmers suicide

SOME CASE
STUDY.

An upside to slash-and-burn
agriculture:
According to Kricher, a study in Costa Rica demonstrated that slash and
burn does not, in the short run, degrade the soil. Researcher cut,
mulched, and burned a site that contained patches of eight- to nineyear-old forest and seventy-year-old forest. Before the burn there were
approximately 8,000 seeds per square meter of soil, representing 67
species. After the burn the figure dropped to 3,000 seeds/square meter,
representing 37 species. Mycorrhizal fungi survived the burn, and large
quantities of nutrients were released to the soil following burning. The
remaining seeds sprouted, and vegetation regrew vigorously on the site

THE GUJARAT EXPERIENCE - III

Gujarat provides a replicable experience

It is against this background that experiences of Gujarat of last four years
need to be seen.
Gujarat has achieved sustainable agricultural growth at an average of 11%
per annum in recent years.(2001-05)
Gujarat, despite constraints of arid and semi arid agro climatic regions and
uncertain monsoons, has become number one state in the country in
agriculture sector.
Gujarat does not have any suicide by farmers on account of crop failure. It
does not have Naxalite areas. Initial efforts to spread it in district like Dangs
have failed.
It is important to realize that prior to year 2000, Gujarats agriculture had
growth but it was slow. It had a number of years with negative growth.
After 2000, the situation changed. Agriculture became stable and picked up
momentum.

Farmer suicides
A considerable number of farmers has
committed suicides in the second half of the

1990s, particularly in Karnataka, Andhra

Pradesh and Punjab.

The spate of suicides by farmers in

Karnataka is still continuing.

Farmers leader Prof. M. D. Nanjundaswamy

blames
free imports,
falling prices and
lack of social security
for farmers for this situation (Farmer suicides).
He also believes that the compensation amount
of Rs. one lakh for farmers committing suicide
must be cancelled because it acts as an
incentive

 The burden of indebtedness in rural India is

great, and it falls mainly on the households of

rural working people.

The credit market is highly fragmented and
regressive.
Moneylenders attend the most urgent-felt needs
like consumption, medical aid, emergency
situations, and daughters marriage

Study has shown that following are some of the

reasons for the increasing suicides among
farmers:
(i) Failure of institutional credits for small and
marginal farmers.

(ii) Withdrawal of government intervention from

safety nets such as fair price shops (FPS), and the

exclusion of poor and indebted from the food

distribution system.

Continued

reasons for suicides

(iii) Increasing cost of agriculture inputs like
seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, etc.
(iv) Reduced price of agriculture produces.
(v) Increasing dependence of small farmers on
moneylenders, at rates of interest from 24 to 60
per cent per annum, sometimes even more.
(vi) Cumulative crop loss.

The Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Market

Intervention Scheme (MIS) are designed to alleviate the

agency of the farmer. However, the process of

administering the MSP and MIS is at market prices. A
study carried out by Karnataka government shows a

number of lacunae in the MSP and MIS. The study

noted that the overhead charges at the procurement
centre are so high that the farmers end up in selling well
below the prescribed MSP.

During 1989-99, the population of the country

increased by 21.5 per cent, while the reported suicides
increased by 32.5 per cent as per the data from
National Crime Records Bureau for the same period,
clearly showing higher growth in suicide rates in the
country.

The incidence of suicides increased from

40,000 in the year 1967 to 110,000 in the year 1999
recording an increase by 175 per cent.

Karnataka had no history of farmers committing

suicide when crops or market failed, although there

were agitations of farmers in the past. The first
incidence of farmers suicide, which attracted
considerable attention of media and public, was
reported on 12 December 1997 when Mr. Shivaraj

Mainalle of Siddeshwar village in Bidar district

committed suicide. A few studies were available on
this first phase of suicides in Karnataka.

Within two decades suicide rate in India has

increased from 40 to 115 per lakh. The suicide rate
in India in the year 1999 was 11 persons per lakh
of population per year with 110,000 reported
suicides according to a study by the National
Institute for Mental Health and Neuro Sciences.

Karnataka with 12,488 suicides, stood third among

the states in India during 1999, next only to West
Bengal and Maharashtra.

Farmers suicides are a feature of drought prone and

economically backward districts; also, have spread to all

regions including prosperous agriculture belts. The
negative impact of globalization on agriculture through
the World Trade Organization regime has already
compounded the agrarian crisis brought in by drought.

Several agricultural commodities have seen a fall in the

prices in the last three years owing to imports. The lifting
of agricultural and power subsidies have pushed up the

cost of cultivation substantially. the withdrawal of safety

nets like the universal public distribution system for
food has increased expenditures for poor families.

 Growing indebtedness in the rural areas among the

farmers is the main reason for the farmers to commit

suicide in Karnataka.
Almost all the farmers who have committed suicide
have taken the loan, which costs more than their total
land assets.

Situation became worst when the government

institutions stopped giving loan to the farmers. While
there are varieties of reasons, indebtedness is the

common factor in all the suicides.

 Several relief measures are available in the schemes

sponsored by both the Government of India and the

State Governments.
They include the Calamity Relief Fund, National Family
Benefit Scheme, Raitha Sanjeevani Scheme, Pledge
Loan Scheme, Rashtriya Krishi Bhima Yojana, Minimum
Support Price, and Sankata Harana scheme

implemented by the IFFCO. Many insurance schemes

are available for both farmers and public.
All these schemes are guided by the policies applicable

in general to any insured persons.

Some of the insurance schemes like (i) Janatha Rural

Personal Accident Insurance, (ii) Rajarajeswari Mahila
Kalyana Insurance, (iii) Bhagyashree Female Child
Kalyana Yojane, (iv) Insurance for Agriculture Pump-sets,
(v) Horticulture/ Plantation/ Floriculture/ Flower Insurance

Scheme, (vi) Insurance on Livestock, (vii) Insurance on

Poultry, (viii) Insurance on Carts, and (ix) Standard Kissan
Package Policy have all been offered by the Oriental

Insurance Company which directly or indirectly aims at

covering the farmers and their families.

SUSTAINABLE TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES USED IN THE

CARIBBEAN

Intercropping & polyculture: symbiotic relations

tween plants (shade, rooting systems), plant
diversity encourages natural biological control
of insect pests, provides year round food
supply.
Crop rotation w/ legumes: helps retain soil
fertility & year round food supply, (rotations
involve red peas, gungo peas, cowpeas, string
beans etc)

Extension Administration did not bother about poor

farmers

Lack of control on quality seeds and inputs and basic

guidance for selection of crop to be grown in rain fed
areas based on soil health. There can be many other

reasons like mortgage of land by farmers to private money

lenders/local dealers and so on and so forth. Left out poor
farmers dont have access to new technology and
information Poor farmers started copying the wealthy
farmers who had water resource and new technology, and

failed. Result farmers suicide

Thank You