Climate change increases risk of Indian farmer suicides

Climate change increases risk of Indian farmer suicides
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In Maharashtra’s drought-stricken Marathwada region, farmer suicides continue to rise amid worsening climate conditions and mounting debt, Arab News reported. Extreme weather events such as water shortages, floods, rising temperatures, and erratic rainfall have severely impacted crop yields, pushing many small-scale farmers into financial distress. Agriculture employs nearly half of India’s 1.4 billion population, but many farmers remain vulnerable to crop failures that can trigger devastating economic consequences.

Recent data reveals that over 3,000 farmers in Marathwada took their own lives between 2022 and 2024, averaging nearly three suicides daily. These tragic losses reflect a broader crisis in Indian agriculture, where traditional farming methods depend heavily on timely and adequate rainfall. Climate change has increased the unpredictability of weather patterns, leading to frequent crop failures and shrinking incomes.

Farmers often resort to costly fertilizers and irrigation investments to combat declining yields, but limited access to affordable credit forces many to borrow from loan sharks at exorbitant interest rates. Debts can quickly spiral out of control, far exceeding annual farm incomes, leaving families trapped in cycles of poverty and despair.

Experts urge the government to improve insurance schemes and invest in agricultural research to help farmers adapt to changing conditions. Without such support, farming remains a high-risk livelihood, heavily dependent on the monsoon, with devastating consequences for millions of small and marginal farmers across India.