LIVELIHOOD SUSTAINABILTY OF SUICIDE PRONE FARMERS’ FAMILIES OF VIDARBHA.
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Date
2017-11-30
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Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola. Maharashtra.
Abstract
The study entitled ‘Livelihood sustainability of suicide prone farmers’ families of Vidarbha’ was conducted in six suicide prone districts of Vidarbha. The study was planned to understand the livelihood status and livelihood sustainable measures of suicide prone farmers’ family. This comprehensive study was conducted in highly suicide prone six districts of Vidarbha namely Yavatmal, Washim, Buldana, Akola, Amravati from Amravati revenue division and Wardha from Nagpur revenue division of Maharashtra.
The primary data was collected through personal interview method. In this study respondents were the households of selected victims who committed suicide during the year 2005-2008 and had declared as legal victims by district level committee headed by Collector of the respective district, for allotting compensation and received Rs. 1 lakh compensation. The total 200 families of suicide victim farmers were selected by proportionate random sampling method from 6 suicide prone districts of Vidarbha.
It was noticed that from all age group respondents were covered, less than one forth (14.50%) were illiterate, within the literates (35.00%) respondents educated up to primary school level. over half (52.50% ) of the respondents were belonged to OBC category and mostly the Kunbi’s from six districts and having small to medium family size. Maximum (39.50%) of respondents possessed small category of land holding i.e. 1.01 to 2.00 ha, and have moderate fertile land (67.50%). Majority (74.50%) families did not have any sources of access the irrigation. Which solely depend on monsoon rains i.e. rainfed farming and have crop-crop (80.50%) farming system, Over half (56.50 %) of them were engaged seasonally in crop cultivation on their own farm plus farm labour for wage earning as a supportive endeavour to farming. More than half (58.50%) of the families have 120-211 mean man days employment in a year as against GOI norm 212 mean man days for achieving sustainable livelihood. Farming contributed 48.47 per cent share in their total mean man days and 42.00 per cent families have income in the range of Rs. 40,001 to Rs. 60000/- The average annual income of selected families were Rs. 55026.50/- per year. Farming and wage earning were found major contributory income sources. The expenditure on food had contributed 40.20 per cent share and average yearly expenditure was estimated Rs.63902.44/-. In majority (80.00%) of the families income gap was noted. Maximum (62.50%) per cent families were indebted out of that maximum (88.80%) have availed loans from institutional sources. More than three fourth (86.00%) respondents were included in medium category of technology utilization. over half (52.00%) of families had medium morale strength and Majority (83.50%) of respondents had medium deferred gratification, Apart from Rs. 1.00 lacs compensation maximum 77.00% of the suicidal farmers’ families accured benefits from the state government of Maharshtra and various NGOs.
The Medium livelihood sustainability index can be attributed in majority 74.00 per cent of the families duo to low natural (71.50%), social (96.50%) and financial capital (96.50%) even though medium human capital (98.00%), Physical capital (65.50%), Psychological capital (98.00%) is on encouraging / supporting and less than three forth (72.50%) respondents were medium vulnerable to situation.
Out of these variables, land holding, irrigation source, type of land, status of soil, farming system, employment generation, total expenditure, morale strength, indebtedness, technology utilization, shows positive and significant correlation with livelihood sustainability status at 0.01 level of probability and variables such as family type, family size, benefit accrued, deferred gratification also showed positive and significant correlation with overall livelihood sustainability status at 0.05 level of probability. All these variables 58.50 per cent variation in overall livelihood sustainability of the selected respondents.
Among the natural resource related problems cent per cent (100.00%) of the farmers have expressed that 'erratic rainfall and cumulative droughts over years' followed by lack of irrigation facilities (74.50%). The most prominent financial problems identified by the (69.50%) farmers was procedural delays in obtaining farm loans' The major market related problems elicited by per cent (100.00%) of the farmers for the farm produce and high price fluctuation.
Hence, this research study clears that in study area there is a need to increase the income level of the families for increasing their paying capacity/ability, increase the irrigation potential for profitable crop grown and better employment opportunities, new improved technology utilization, motivate them to face challenges in life and raising their livelihood sustainability in suicide hit districts of Vidarbha
Description
Livelihood is an umbrella concept, which suggests that social life is layered and that these layers overlap (both in the way people talk about them and the way they should be analyzed). This is an important analytical feature of the notion of livelihoods (Wallman, 1984).
Livelihoods are the means people use to support themselves, to survive, and to prosper. Livelihoods are an outcome of how and why people organize to transform the environment to meet their needs through technology, labour, power, knowledge, and social relations. Livelihoods are also shaped by the broader economic and political systems within which they operate.
Sustainable livelihood concepts are increasingly being used by governments and international organizations, such as the World Bank through its Community- Drive Development approach and it’s Rural Development Strategy (2002), The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through its Rural Poverty Report (2001) and FAO, through its strategic framework 2005-2015.
FAO, with its unique mandate on agriculture (including forestry and fisheries) and rural development is in a strategic position to find ways and means to improve the livelihoods of rural dwellers in a sustainable manner. For this purpose, it has gradually incorporated a more holistic perspective in its normative and operational activities that will help in identifying the complementary synergies and opportunities for cooperation that will increase the effectiveness of development interventions aimed at enhancing rural livelihoods.
The state government has expressed a strong commitment to the reduction of poverty in Vidarbha region, as they fall under backward within the Maharashtra state. In this backdrop it was felt essentially important to critically analyze the sustainable livelihoods of the agrarian community to get insight in to the strengths and weaknesses of the farming community in its endeavor and commitments for enhancing their livelihood options and combat poverty through proper policy advocations.
Recently the phenomenon of suicides of the farmers’ in Vidarbha region is one of the most tragic events in the history of India. Thousands of farmers committed suicide in this region. The Vidarbha farmers, who committed suicide, were mostly the family heads and the main bread earner of the family members. The chronically brood agrarian crisis is wholly responsible for their spate of suicides and these suicides have happened, by and large, due to low income level of the households and their deteriorating socio-economic status in the society. Though family head left the severe agrarian crisis, it is very difficult for his family members to survive/ lives in the worst hit zone of Vidarbha
Keywords
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Citation
BORHADE, SNEHALATA MALHARI. (2017). Livelihood Sustainability Of Suicide Prone Farmers’ Families Of Vidarbha. Department of extension education, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola. Ph. D. Print. 2017. xxxii, 268p. (Unpublished).