Climate change heightens risk of Indian farmer suicides
Farmer suicides have a long history in India, where many are one crop failure away from disaster, but extreme weather caused by climate change is adding fresh pressure.
Dwindling yields due to water shortages, floods, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall, coupled with crippling debt, have taken a heavy toll on a sector that employs 45 percent of India's 1.4 billion people.
Mirabhai's husband Amol was left with debts to loan sharks worth hundreds of times their farm's annual income, after the three-acre (one-hectare) soybean, millet and cotton plot withered in scorching heat.
He swallowed poison last year.
"When he was in the hospital, I prayed to all the gods to save him," said 30-year-old Mirabai, her voice breaking.
Amol died a week later, leaving behind Mirabai and three children. Her last conversation with him was about debt.
Their personal tragedy is replicated daily across Marathwada, a region in Maharashtra of 18 million, once known for fertile farmland.
Last year, extreme weather events across India affected 3.2 million hectares (7.9 million acres) of cropland -- an area bigger than Belgium -- according to the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment research group.
Over 60 percent of that was in Maharashtra.
"Summers are extreme, and even if we do what is necessary, the yield is not enough," said Amol's brother and fellow farmer Balaji Khindkar.
"There is not enough water to irrigate the fields. It doesn't rain properly."
'Increase the risks'
Between 2022 and 2024, 3,090 farmers took their own lives in Marathwada, an average of nearly three a day, according to India's Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Government statistics do not specify what drove the farmers to kill themselves, but analysts point to several likely factors.
"Farmer suicides in India are a consequence of the crisis of incomes, investment and productivity that you have in agriculture," said R. Ramakumar, professor of development studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
Farming across many Indian smallholdings is done largely as it has been for centuries, and is highly dependent on the right weather at the correct time.
"What climate change and its vulnerabilities and variabilities have done is to increase the risks in farming," Ramakumar said.
This "is leading to crop failures, uncertainties... which is further weakening the economics of cultivation for small and marginal farmers."
The government could support farmers with better insurance schemes to cope with extreme weather events, as well as investments in agricultural research, Ramakumar said.
"Agriculture should not be a gamble with the monsoon."
'Make ends meet'
Faced with uncertain weather, farmers often look to stem falling yields by investing in fertilisers or irrigation systems.
But banks can be reluctant to offer credit to such uncertain borrowers.
Some turn to loan sharks offering quick cash at exorbitant interest rates, and risking catastrophe if crops fail.
"It is difficult to make ends meet with just farming," Mirabai said, standing outside her home, a tin-roofed hut with patch-cloth walls.
Her husband's loans soared to over $8,000, a huge sum in India, where the average monthly income of a farming household is around $120.
Mirabai works on other farms as a labourer but could not pay back the debt.
"The loan instalments piled up," she said, adding that she wants her children to find jobs outside of farming when they grow up.
"Nothing comes out of the farm."
The agricultural industry has been in a persistent crisis for decades.
And while Maharashtra has some of the highest suicide rates, the problem is nationwide.
Thirty people in the farming sector killed themselves every day in 2022, according to national crime records bureau statistics.
At another farm in Marathwada, 32-year-old farmer Shaikh Imran took over the running of the family smallholding last year after his brother took his own life.
He is already more than $1,100 in debt after borrowing to plant soybean.
The crop failed.
Meanwhile, the pop of explosives echoes around as farmers blast wells, hoping to hit water.
"There's no water to drink," said family matriarch Khatijabi. "Where shall we get water to irrigate the farm?"
© 2025 AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
5 days ago
- Euronews
Here's how to keep cool during heatwaves in Europe
Parts of Europe were gripped by an early summer heatwave this weekend, with temperatures surpassing 35 degrees Celsius in France and the United Kingdom recording its hottest day of 2025. While most areas have cooled off, forecasters expect heatwaves to become more common as climate change exacerbates the problem and makes already-hot regions even warmer. Heatwaves mean more than cancelled events. They also pose a health risk, especially for children, older people, and those with certain health conditions. Here are some tips on how to stay safe this summer. When does heat become dangerous? The answer depends on more than the temperature. The most detailed measurement is called the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), which includes temperature, humidity, cloud cover, and wind. The heat index, which measures temperature and humidity, is less descriptive but easier to find on weather apps. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can be dangerous. For example, a day where temperatures reach 36 degrees and 45 per cent humidity would be considered risky for prolonged exposure or strenuous activity outside – even for some young, healthy people. How to cool down Overnight lows can be a particularly dangerous part of a heatwave, said Ashley Ward, director of the US-based Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University. 'When we have overnight temperatures that don't drop below [24 degrees] you start to see some pretty extraordinary outcomes with respect to heat illness and heat stroke, and even mortality,' Ward said. Ward's answer: Find air conditioning, for example, at cinemas, malls, and libraries. At home, create a 'cool corner' and sleep there, so your body is prepared to tackle the next day, Ward said. In humid places, just use a fan. Finding ways to stay hydrated and lower your body temperature are paramount. You can do this by drinking lots of fluids, wetting clothing, or putting cold water or a cold rag on your hands, feet, armpits, and neck. A portable handheld fan or a cooling vest can also help. If you're exercising, avoid the hottest times of day and bring more water than you think you need. Know heat illness symptoms Heat illness symptoms can vary by person, said Bharat Venkat, director of the US-based University of California, Los Angeles Heat Lab. Medications or underlying conditions can also make it harder to regulate body temperature or notice you're getting too hot. Early trouble signs include heavy sweating, muscle cramps and headache. That's when you stop what you're doing and cool yourself off – for example, by splashing yourself with cold water or finding an air-conditioned space. As heat exhaustion sets in, new symptoms arrive, including a faster heart rate and dizziness. Next comes heat stroke, which can include confusion, slurred words, and fainting. Ward said that's when to call emergency services. 'Don't be embarrassed to call [for emergency help] or go to urgent care when you think you might have overdone it in the heat,' he said.
Local France
6 days ago
- Local France
Paris blackout caused by heatwave, says network operator
The power cut affected around 1,400 households and buildings on Monday, mostly situated in the oldest part of the city - the Île de la Cité. Among the buildings affected was the Palais de Justice, which houses the French court of appeal and other courts, and the Paris police HQ. Grid operator Enedis said in a statement on Monday morning : "An incident is underway on the electricity network in the Île de la Cité area of Paris, due to the exceptional episode of high heat over the last few days." Paris, like much of France, has experienced the first heatwave of the summer in recent days, with hot weather set to continue until Wednesday . Advertisement The city of Paris is currently in the middle of a massive project to replace its underground electricity cables with heat-resistant ones, after an emergency planning exercise designed to test the city's readiness for the day the temperature hits 50C revealed a major risk of blackouts. This is not just a Paris-based problem - with power cables melting in heatwaves from Portland to Sicily, the world's 80 million kilometres of power lines are largely unprepared to resist extreme temperatures, scientists have warned. Work on the Paris cables began in 2024, with the obsolete paper-insulated lead-covered cables (PILC), which are made of oil-impregnated paper encased in a lead sheath, gradually being replaced by a more heat-resilient version. "We're anticipating the renewal of these cables, which are starting to be affected by heat, to have a very resilient network in Paris," said Olivier Lagnel, deputy regional director for utility firm Enedis. PILC cables, which were the international standard from the late 19th century until the 1970s, were long considered highly reliable. They were wrapped in layers of oily paper intended to isolate the centre of the cable, which heats up as electrons pass through. The cables were conceived to resist temperatures up to 90C. But when heat is trapped for days under the asphalt, they can reach 120-130C - ageing faster and eventually risking failure. Paris's 9,200 kilometres of low- and medium-voltage power cables are entirely buried underground -- to save space and protect them from the wind, Lagnel said. Enedis plans to phase out the obsolete cables in French cities by 2050. "The main problem is that the insulator can dry up, and in that case the cable can be sensitive," said Lagnel. "The idea is to avoid cuts as much as possible" and to "desensitise the network... as heatwaves come back more and more often, stronger and stronger." Advertisement A searing heatwave in July 2023 left hundreds of thousands of Sicilians without electricity and water for days. Heat damage to underground cables was to blame, said supplier e-distribuzione, the distribution arm of energy giant Enel. "We find ourselves operating in conditions of exceptional climatic emergency," where the temperature of the asphalt on roads reached 50C, it said in a statement at the time.
Euronews
17-06-2025
- Euronews
Portugese landowners face fines as wildfire inspections begin
Portugal's police force, the National Republican Guard (GNR), began nationwide inspections on Monday after the deadline passed for mandatory land clearing intended to prevent wildfires. Landowners had until Sunday to clear undergrowth near properties, a deadline that was previously extended due to rainy weather. On the ground, GNR officers explained the specific regulations to property owners. An officer from the GNR's Environmental Protection Unit in Coruche, Felizardo, pointed out an infraction: "In this case, the grass is a bit taller than the prescribed limits, and therefore, fuel management should have been carried out within 50 metres around your building to comply with the established regulations." For some landowners, the wet weather that led to the extension created its own problems. A landowner was asked if she knew she had to clear the land. "Yes, we do know, but sometimes things don't happen the way we want. It rained a lot. My son was supposed to plough the land before going to the fields, but the soil couldn't support the tractor's weight, and it got stuck, so he had to leave it like that." Those who have failed to comply now face significant fines, which can reach up to €5,000 for individuals and €60,000 for companies. By the end of April, authorities had already identified over 10,000 potentially non-compliant properties. Despite the threat of penalties, the GNR's commander in Coruche, Mateus, expressed that the immediate focus is on education rather than punishment. "At this time, and despite being authorised by law to carry out inspections and issue fines, our approach is always focused on prevention," he said, adding that the ultimate objective is clear: "What we want is for the land to be cleared and for there to be fewer forest fires in 2025." The urgency of the campaign has increased in significance due to an impending heatwave. All of the Portuguese mainland's districts are already under a yellow weather warning, with maximum temperatures forecast to fluctuate between 33 and 40 degrees Celsius over the next few days. Once reliant on coal for the majority of its electricity, the country of 36 million that currently holds the EU rotating presidency is trying to reduce its dependence on the fossil fuel. With many mines becoming unprofitable and old infrastructure in decline, the Polish government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk has planned a gradual closure of coal facilities in the south of the country. As the coal regions of the country come to terms with this shift, northern Poland adjacent to the Baltic Sea is booming. Ignacy Niemczycki, the deputy minister in the Chancellery, briefed a handful of Brussels-based journalists on board the Jantar passenger ship, telling Euronews that the wind farm should have a lifecycle of up to 30 years and be a major part of the energy transition. 'It's in the interest of the Polish economy to invest in renewables, nuclear, and gas to stabilise the grid,' the minister told Euronews. Situated 23 kilometres off the northern coast near Choczewo and Łeba, the wind farm is among the most advanced renewable energy projects in the Polish Economic Zone. The final installed capacity of the project is expected to reach 1140 MW, enough to supply electricity to approximately 1.5 million Polish households. Renewables will only be one part of the Polish energy mix. Plans for the first ever nuclear plant, which will also be located on Poland's northern Baltic Sea coast, were put in place under the former Law and Justice (PiS) government and have been continued by Prime Minister Donald Tusk's current ruling coalition. Niemczycki told Euronews that a second nuclear project is being considered and Poland is keeping a close eye on Canada as it experiments with the first ever mini nuclear plant, known as a Small Modular Reactor (SMR). SMRs could can potentially power up to 300 MW(e) per unit. 'We will see a major change in Poland's energy mix over the next 15 years,' said Niemczycki. 'Nuclear will become the new baseline, with renewables and gas providing flexibility and stability.'
