Note on State of Indian Farmers: A Study
Note on State of Indian Farmers: A Study
Agriculture plays a key role in shaping India’s economy not only by sustaining the livelihood of millions of households, but also by contributing a substantial share in the country’s GDP. However in recent years the share of agriculture and its allied sectors in the growth pie has been declining gradually and this has been causing some concerns. There is also much talk of a systemic crisis in the agrarian sector reflected largely by the disturbing trends of farmer’s suicide in various parts of the country due to increasing debt, crop failures, competition from the imports etc. Farmer’s concerns have also been at the centre of the government’s decision to allow foreign investment in multi-brand retail. The land acquisition problem is also a big concern for them. Framer’s issues have taken centre stage and there is a renewed focus on them among policymakers and the media. However, except for a few surveys, case studies and sound bites, we still do not know how a large mass of farmers are living, what their conditions are, and what they are thinking about issues related to them and their sector.
In order to address this lacuna, Lokniti - Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) has conducted a comprehensive nationwide study among farmer’s households spread across the country.
