Vidharba, Maharashtra is becoming a hot bed of farmers suicides, a complete paradigm shift in the way agriculture is done and supported is needed to make change possible

1. Sustaining Farming and Farmers
in Vidharba
In the era of economic, ecological and climate crises
Ramanjaneyulu
Centre for Sustainable Agriculture

2. Intensive Agriculture
• Economic Crisis
– Increasing costs of cultivation and decreasing returns
– Reducing public support and increasing indebtedness
• Ecological Crisis
– is highly LINEAR, whereas traditionally agriculture was highly CYCLICAL.
– is based on maximizing the output of a narrow range of species leading to
monoculture of crops and varieties
– is based on capital depletion and massive additions of external inputs (e.g.
energy, water, chemicals)
– views the farm as a factory with “inputs” (such as pesticides, feed, fertilizer,
and fuel) and “outputs” (grain, cotton, chicken, and so forth)
– never cared about the externalities
• Socio-political crisis
– Increasing tenancy, land use shift
– Increasing farmers suicides, 270,940 in 17 years
– Huge migration

3. Farmers suicides in India
20000
18000
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
5
9
1
6
9
1
7
9
1
8
9
1
9
1
0
2
1
0
2
0
2
3
0
2
4
0
2
5
0
2
6
0
2
7
0
2
8
0
2
9
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
No. of suicides
Total 270,940 in 17 years
Source: NCRB 1995-2010

4. • two-thirds of
the suicides
are occurring
in half-a-
dozen States
that account
for just about
one-third of
the country’s
population

5. Farmers suicides in Maharashtra
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
5
9
1
6
9
1
7
9
1
8
9
1
9
1
0
2
1
0
2
0
2
3
0
2
4
0
2
5
0
2
6
0
2
7
0
2
8
0
2
9
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
No. of suicides
Total 53,818 in 17 years
Source: NCRB 1995-2011

6. State Farmer Suicides Difference (2nd Avg-1st Avg)
1995-2002 2003-2010
Andhra Pradesh 1590 2301 +711
Assam 155 291 +135
Karnataka 2259 2123 -136
Kerala 1292 1071 -221
MP+Chhattisgarh 2304 2829 +525
Maharashtra 2508 3802 +1294
Tamil Nadu 992 866 -126
Uttar Pradesh 640 531 -109
West Bengal 1426 990 -436
The table only includes States whose annual averages have risen or fallen by over 100 farm
suicides between the to periods. It also treats Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh as one unit
for data purposes.
Source: NCRB Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India Reports 1995-2010

7. Deep economic crisis
• Reducing incomes
• Yield stagnation
• Increasing costs of cultivation
• Increasing small holdings
• Increasing tenancy
• Reducing institutional credit
All the policy supports are skewed towards large
farmers, large farms, few cash crops and high external
input based production systems

8. Farmers income
• Increasing costs of cultivation
• Increasing living expenditure
• Reducing Subsidies
• Fluctuating Market Prices

9. Income and Expenditure of farmers
Land Category Total Expenditure Percent of
holding Income (Rs/month) farmers
(Rs/month)
<0.01 Landless 1380 2297 36 %
0.01-0.4 Sub marginal 1633 2390
0.4-1.0 Marginal 1809 2672 31 %
1.0-2.0 Small 2493 3148 17 %
2.0-4.0 Semi-medium 3589 3685 10 %
4.0-10.0 Medium 5681 4626 6%
>10.0 Large 9667 6418
Total 2115 2770 All
farmers
Source: Report “On Conditions Of Work And Promotion Of Livelihoods In The Unorganised Sector” Arjun Sen
Gupta Committee, 2007

10. Unremunerative prices
• MSP determination is faulty and unscientific.
• Governments keep the prices low to ensure cheap
labor and cheap inputs, and food security for poor
• Minimum Support Prices are announced for 25
commodities but market intervention only for rice,
wheat, cotton
• Agricultural prices don’t account for living costs of rural
families. Rising inflation has double impact on farmers
with increasing living costs & decreasing incomes
• Removal of quantitative restrictions and allowing
cheaper imports
• Restrictions on exports on certain crops depressing local
market prices

11. Comparision of Costs and MSP
Crop Cost/quintal Cost/quintal Recommended
(CACP est.) (State govt est.) MSP
Paddy 896 1270 1080
Jowar 1393 1145 980
Maize 935 1114 980
Tur 2373 3668 3100
Groundnut 3185 3324 2700
Sunflower 2799 3439 2800
Cotton 2579 3828 2900
Moong 2974 3480 3400
Source: CACP Kharif Price Report,, 2011-12

12. Prices to Farmers
during 2010-11 and 2011-12
Crop 2010-11 Rs/Quintal 2011-12 Rs/Quintal
Cotton 6500 3600
Turmeric 14000 4000
Chillies 12000 5500
Redgram 5000 3500
Blackgram 5200 3500
Bajra 4000 2000
Jowar 2500 1800
Onion 16000 2500
Sweet Orange 75000 60000

13. MSPs for 2012-13 (Rs/q)
Crop Current MSP After increase
Paddy (coarse) 1080 1250
Paddy (A Grade) 1110 1280
Blackgram 3300 4300
Soybean (black) 1650 2200
Soybean (yellow) 1690 2240
Groundnut 2700 3700
Cotton (medium staple) 2800 3600
Cotton (long staple) 3300 3900
Sunflower 2800 3700
Sesame 3400 4200
Ragi 1050 1500
Valasulu 2900 3500
Maize 980 1175
Bajra 980 1175
Jowar 1000 1520
Jowar (hybrid) 980 1500

14. Monoculturing crops, varieties, genes, trees animals
• Today Cotton, Maize, Paddy, Sugar Cane are the only
crops whose area increasing
• Within crops 80% of the production comes from few
genetic backgrounds
• Increasing area under hybrid crops in areas not
suitable like rainfed areas, hill regions
• 99 % of the cotton with bt genes to fight four major
pests..several others in pipeline
• Promotion of water intensive orchards in rainfed areas
• Promotion of cross bred animals, buffaloes in rainfed
areas

15. GM crops and foods
• Key issues
• Relevance of GM crops
• Biosafety issues
• IPRs andMarket monopoly
• Conflicts of interests and scandals
• Studies on NPM vs/Bt cotton
• Documentary evidences on Violations of regulations
in field trials,
• Illegal GM food crop field trials
• First reports on Bronze wilt, Tobacco Streak Virus,
Mealybug
• Evidences on sheep death
• Studies on Environmental Risk Assessment and Socio
Economic Impacts
http://www.indiagminfo.org

16. Before Bt Cotton
70% increase

17. Cotton in Maharashtra
Year Area (lakh ha) Production (lakh bales) Yield (kg/ha)
1996-97 30.85 33.00 182.00
1997-98 31.39 21.50 116.00
1998-99 31.99 26.50 141.00
1999-00 32.54 38.00 199.00
2000-01 30.77 18.25 101.00
2001-02 29.80 34.25 195.00
2002-03 28.00 26.00 158.00
2003-04 27.66 31.00 191.00
2004-05 28.40 52.00 311.00
2005-06 28.75 35.00 207.00
2006-07 31.07 50.00 274.00
2007-08 31.95 62.00 330.00
2008-09 31.42 62.00 335.00
2009-10 35.03 65.75 319.00
2010-11 39.32 87.75 379.00
2011-12 41.25 74.00 305.00
2012-13 41.30 80.00 329.00
http://cotcorp.gov.in/statistics.aspx

18. Status of pesticide utilization in different states**
Sno State 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
1 Andhra Pradesh 1997 1394 1541 1381 1015
2 Gujarat 2700 2670 2660 2650 2750
3 Haryana 4560 4600 4390 4288 4070
4 Jammu & Kashmir 1433 829 1248 2679.27 1640
5 Karnataka 1638 1362 1588 1675 1647
6 Kerala 571 545 780 272.69 631
7 Madhya Pradesh 787 957 696 663 645
8 Maharashtra 3198 3193 3050 2400 4639
9 Orissa 963 778 N/A 1155.75 1588
10 Punjab 5610 5975 6080 5760 5810
11 Rajasthan 1008 3567 3804 3333 3527
12 Tamil Nadu 2211 3940 2048 2317 2335
13 Uttar Pradesh 6671 7414 7332 8968 9563
14 West Bengal 4250 3830 3945 4100 NA
Total 39773 41515 43630 43860 41822
**Source: http://ppqs.gov.in/IpmPesticides.htm MT of active ingredient

19. Depleting natural resources
• Increasing dark zones due
to groundwater depletion
• 30 % of soils are reported
to be saline by the recent
study by ministry of
environment

20. (‘000 crore)
Fertilisers 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
Indigenous Urea 7.79 8.52 10.24 10.65 12.65 12.95 17.97 17.58 15.08 13.31
Imported Urea 0.00 0.00 0.49 1.21 3.27 6.61 10.08 4.60 6.40 6.98
Sale of decontrolled
fertiliser with concession to
farmers 3.23 3.33 5.14 6.60 10.30 12.93 48.56 39.08 33.50 29.71
Total Fertiliser Subsidy 11.02 11.85 15.88 18.46 26.22 32.49 76.60 61.26 54.98 50.00*
* Revised estimate is 90.00 th cr

21. Consumption of Fertilizer by Land
Holding
Source: Fertilizer Association of India, 2007
Size of Land Holding (Acres)
Higher dependence on chemical fertilisers by
small/marginal farmers – higher risk

22. Fertilizer issues
• Fertilizer use efficiency less than 50%
• Factor productivity of fertilizer coming down
• Fertilizer production largely dependent on
Petroleum products and prices fluctuate with
them
• Phosphotic and Potash reserves coming down

23. GHG emissions from India
• 64% of India’s population
depends on Agriculture
• Contribution of Agriculture to
GDP ~ 18%.
• GHG Emissions from Agriculture
sector – 344 million t CO2e/year
• Agriculture – second largest
contributor of GHGs
Source: India’s first national communication to UN

24. Share of different sectors of agriculture in India to climate
change
Manure Rice cultivation
management 23%
Crop residues
5%
1%
Emission from
soils
12%
Enteric
fermentation
59%
Source: India’s Initial National Communication on Climate Change, 2004

25. CH4 and N2O emissions
One of the largest contributor of CH4 and N2O

26. Chemical Fertilizers contribution
• Total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from the
manufacturing and transport of fertiliser are
estimated at 6.7 kg CO2 equivalent (CO2, nitrous
oxide and methane) per kg N
• 1.25 kg of N2O emitted per 100 kg of Nitrogen
applied
• Globally, an average 50% of the nitrogen used in
farming is lost to the environment:
• as N2O to the air as a potent GHG (310 x CO 2)
• as nitrate polluting wells, rivers, and oceans
• Volatilization loss 25-33 %
• Leaching loss 20-30 %

27. Sustainable Agriculture
• All agriculture takes CO2 out of the atmosphere. But, organic
agriculture does it at as much as 3 times the rate of conventional
agriculture.
– Not only does organic agriculture take CO2 out of the atmosphere at a higher
rate than conventional agriculture, but the system releases less CO2 into the
air through the very nature of the process.
– Industry releases CO2 to produce chemical fertilizers and herbicides that
conventional agriculture requires. Since organic agriculture uses neither of
these inputs, the net release of CO2 is much less.
• The 23-year The Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial® found the
conventional agriculture system sequestered (stored in the soil) just
303 pounds of carbon per soil acre foot.
– the organic agriculture system based on a legume cover crop and diversified
rotation sequestered 594 pounds of carbon per soil acre foot.
– the organic agriculture system based on a manure application and diversified
rotation sequestered 1,019 pounds of carbon per soil acre foot

28. Policy Shift
• economic sustainability Better prices and
income security for agricultural families,
• ecological sustainability to preserve the
productive natural resources,
• people's control and access to agricultural
resources including land, water, forest, seed
and knowledge,
• ensuring non-toxic, diverse, nutritious and
adequate food for all Indians.

29. 29
Changing to multiple cropping systems

30. Switching over to ecological farming practices
30

31. 2004
2006
Commnity Managed Sustainable Agricutlure in
Andhra Pradesh
2004-05 started with 225 acres in one dist and
reached 7 lakh acres in 2007-08 in 18 dist. today
the prog covers 35 lakh acres in 22 dist
World Bank says this is a good tool for poverty
eradication
With 50 % development expenditure one can
double the incomes of the farmers
2009

32. Farmers and area covered under CMSA
RKVY funds MKSP funds
4000000
3500000 3500000
3000000
2800000
2500000
2000000 2000000 2000000
1500000 1500000
1300000
1000000 1000000
700000600000
500000 200000
225 25000 300000 Acerage
0 80000
100 15000 Farmers
Pesticide use
pilot * Planned intervertion
CSA handholding support
NGOs technical support at field level
SHG groups ind. handling
…aiming to reach 100 lakh acres across crops in all districts of AP in by 2014

33. Recasting Support and better regulation
• Community Managed Extension till block level
using practicing farmers
• Subsidies for farmers own resources and labour
• Creating awareness about the problems with
chemicals
• Restricting all pesticides banned world over
• No GM crops in crops India is Centre for Diversity
• Long term biosafety tests to establish the safety

34. Ensuring better prices
• Organizing farmers into groups to improve
their bargaining power
• Farmer groups moving up the value chain for
better price realisation
• Decentralized PDS, ICDS, Mid-day meals

35. Ensuring Income Security
• Remunerative prices, Price stabilization fund
• Price Compensation for food crops
• Reduce Cost of Cultivation – promote low-cost methods
• Recast Input subsidies – fertilizer, seed, labour
• Institutional and Infrastructure Support Systems
• Crop insurance and Disaster relief
• Producer Bonus for rainfed farmers & ecological farmers
• Direct Payment if net income less than minimum

36. Price Compensation
• A crop-wise Target Price is declared based on
C2'+50% and living costs
• If average Farm Harvest Price is less than Target
Price, the difference should be paid to the cultivator
• This provision is only for food crops which are
included in the MSP regime
• Payment is calculated based on district-level or taluk-
level averages of the FHP and yield
• Should benefit actual cultivator, including tenants
and sharecroppers

37. Demand: Farmers Income Guarantee
• Government should guarantee a minimum living income to
each cultivator family; as an illustration, Rs.6000 per month
which is indexed to inflation
• Farmers Income Commission: Documents real net incomes
of farmers across India. Makes specific recommendations
to satisfy the income guarantee
• Use basket of measures focused on farmer incomes;
instead of isolated schemes, they are all geared to meet
the common mandate of farmer incomes
• Accountability of agriculture policy to farming incomes

38. What is Required
• State Agricultural Prices Commission, which
calculates correct costs of cultivation and determines
MSP for all 25 crops before the season. MSP should
be remunerative, considering rising living costs.
• If MSP declared by Centre is less than this, State
government should declare the balance as bonus
• Timely efficient procurement directly from farmers.
Storage facilities preferably owned by farmer groups
• Price stabilization fund for market intervention in all
the 25 crops

39. http://www.csa-india.org
http://www.krishi.tv
http://www.agrariancrisis.in
http://www.sahajaaharam.in
http://www.kisanswaraj.in
http://www.indiaforsafefood.in
Ph. 040-27017735, mobile : 09000699702
csa@csa-india.org, ramoo.csa@gmail.com
Facebook: ramoo.csa
CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE