Action must be taken to save the farmers

Although the incidents where debt-ridden farmers commit suicide are not widespread in Kerala, such incidents do occur from time to time. The government is working hard for the welfare of the farmers and to keep them afloat in this field. However, the farmers have only complaints to raise. 49-year-old Rajeevan, a native of Thiruvalla Niranam, committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree after his paddy cultivation was destroyed in the summer rains. This incident once again exposes the plight of farmers in the state. It was not only the destruction of the crops that led this farmer to suicide. According to relatives, Rajeevan committed suicide due to his failure to repay loans taken from various sources. Last year too, Rajeevan had incurred heavy losses due to unseasonable summer rains.

Those who cultivate land on lease are often unable to bear the losses caused by crop damage. In order to cultivate, a farmer needs loan assistance too. If the loan provided by the banks is not sufficient, he will be forced to seek money from other sources. The interest will also be higher. The farmer will find it difficult to repay the money if there is crop failure. Rajeevan belonged to this group.

The central and state governments introduced the Crop Insurance Scheme to help farmers who are facing crop failure. However, the farmers are only getting back a small portion of the actual loss they incurred. Farmers have to visit agricultural offices several times to get the reimbursement. There are farmers here who have not yet received a penny of compensation for the losses caused by the 2018 floods. As many as 21 farmers have committed suicide in the state following the financial crisis caused by the 2018 floods. The government wakes up only when a farmer commits suicide. The authorities will then visit the house of the deceased and make promises. When the atmosphere cools down, everything goes back to normal. The Agriculture Minister has announced that the crop insurance scheme will be revised from time to time. His words that the government is committed to ensuring the protection of the agricultural sector should not be in vain.

The fields in the state have been facing the impact of regular heavy summer rains for the last few years. Farmers are suffering from crop failure due to these heavy rains. The government estimates that the last two weeks' rains have caused crop damage of Rs 261 crore. After paddy cultivation, banana cultivation was the worst affected. The weather forecast said that the rain would continue for some more days.

The government has to make strong interventions to ensure that agriculture does not become a big test of luck. Kerala, which has to depend on other states for all its food needs, needs to maintain at least the remaining crops. Losses cannot be completely eliminated by the crop insurance scheme. However, it will be a relief to the farmers. Steps should be taken to include all farmers in the scheme. Efforts must be taken not to ensure that there is no delay in providing assistance in case of crop failure.