Govt sets up farm distress index to ensure timely crisis aversion

The government has developed a farm distress index to alert local authorities in case of deterioration of conditions of cultivators, crops and their livelihoods based on 21 parameters so that timely intervention can be initiated, officials said.

- Zia Haq

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Experts tasked with devising the index at the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) said hardships, which often lead to serious economic and emotional consequences for farmers, can be averted if detected early and, for that, an advance warning mechanism is required.

Nearly half of India's population still depends on a farm-based income and agriculture accounts for about 17% of the country's gross domestic product or GDP, making the sector critical to growth in Asia's third-largest economy.

"The index is very simple and has seven sections of three questions each. By analysing the answers, it will be possible to know whether they are experiencing any distress or face conditions that may lead to stress," said A Amarender Reddy, the design head of CRIDA, a wing of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Crop failures and debt levels often drive farmers to committing suicide. For instance, in Maharashtra, 2,851 farmers took their lives in 2023 due to farm distress, according to data compiled by the state relief and rehabilitation department.

A majority of India's 220 million farm households depend heavily on subsidies and loans to meet cultivation costs. Extreme weather events, which are becoming frequent, can wipe out crops and their ability to repay their debt.