Tech | May 13, 2011 | 35 comments

"Every 30 Minutes": Crushed by Debt and Neoliberal Reforms, Indian Farmers Commit Suicide at Staggering Rate

source: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/11/every_30_minutes_crushed_by_debt

JanforGore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql0mo-5jPbc&feature=player_embedded


A quarter of a million Indian farmers have committed suicide in the last 16 years—an average of one suicide every 30 minutes. The crisis has ballooned with economic liberalization that has removed agricultural subsidies and opened Indian agriculture to the global market. Small farmers are often trapped in a cycle of insurmountable debt, leading many to take their lives out of sheer desperation. We speak with Smita Narula of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University Law School, co-author of a new report on farmer suicides in India.

AMY GOODMAN: We turn to the issue of farmer suicides in India, where a quarter of a million farmers have committed suicide in the last 16 years. On average, that figure suggests one farmer commits suicide every 30 minutes.

Today, the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at NYU Law School will release a report called "Every Thirty Minutes: Farmer Suicides, Human Rights and the Agrarian Crisis in India."

The agricultural sector in India has become more vulnerable to global markets as a result of economic liberalization. Reforms in the country have included the removal of agricultural subsidies and the opening of Indian agriculture to the global market. These reforms have led to increased costs, while reducing yields and profits for many farmers.

As a result, small farmers are often trapped in a cycle of insurmountable debt, leading many to take their lives out of sheer desperation. The rate of suicide is highest among cotton farmers. Like other cash crops in India, the cotton industry is increasingly dominated by foreign multinational corporations that tend to promote genetically modified cottonseed and often control the cost, quality and availability of agricultural inputs.

To discuss this issue, we're joined by Smita Narula, faculty director of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at NYU.

Welcome to Democracy Now!

SMITA NARULA: Good morning.

AMY GOODMAN: Talk about this report that you are just releasing today.

SMITA NARULA: Our major finding for this report is that all the issues that you just described are major human rights issues. And what we're faced with in India is a human rights crisis of epic proportions. The crisis affects the human rights of Indian farmers and their family members in extremely profound ways. We found that their rights to life, to water, food and adequate standard of living, and their right to an effective remedy, is extremely affected by this crisis. Additionally, the government has hard human rights legal obligations to respond to the crisis, but we've found that it has failed, by and large, to take any effective measures to address the suicides that are taking place.

AMY GOODMAN: I mean, this number is unbelievable. Thirty—every 30 minutes, an Indian farmer commits suicide?

SMITA NARULA: And that's been going on for years and years. And what these intense numbers don't reveal are two things. One is that the numbers themselves are failing to capture the enormity of the problem. In what we call a failure of information on the part of the Indian government, entire categories of farmers are completely left out of the purview of farm suicide statistics, because they don't formally own title to land. This includes women farmers, Dalit, or so-called lower caste farmers, as well as Adivasi, or tribal community farmers. In addition, the government's programs and the relief programs that they've offered fail to capture not only this broad category, but also fail to provide timely debt relief and compensation or address broader structural issues that are leading to these suicides in the country.

AMY GOODMAN: Talk about the issue of globalization and how it's affecting these farmers.

SMITA NARULA: Sure. So, basically, ultimately, the proximate cause for a number of these suicides is farmer indebtedness. What lies behind that indebtedness is two decades of market liberalization in India, which have resulted in two simultaneous processes. First, the government has withdrawn significantly from the agricultural sector. It has reduced subsidies. It has decreased access to rural credit. Irrigation is insufficient and doesn't reach most farmers who need it. And at the same time, it has encouraged a switch over to cash crop cultivation, of which cotton is one example.

Simultaneously, the market has been opened up to global competitors, which makes Indian farmers extremely vulnerable. And at the same time, foreign multinationals now dominate industries, such as the cotton industry, including dominating the key inputs that are needed for cotton. In the case of cotton, in particular, the genetically modified Bt cottonseed has been promoted so effectively in India that it now dominates the entire sector, and between its cost, quality and availability, has an enormous impact on farmer costs and profits and yields to the point that it's landing them in enormous debt. And many of them, ironically, are actually consuming the very pesticide that they went into debt to purchase, to kill themselves when they can't escape that cycle of debt.

AMY GOODMAN: They're consuming the pesticide.

SMITA NARULA: That's correct.
snip

AMY GOODMAN: Talk about genetically modified seeds and U.S. multinational corporations.

SMITA NARULA: So, genetically modified seeds. Bt cottonseed is the cottonseed input that dominates the cotton industry now. And what the genetic modification promises to do is to produce a toxin within the seed that kills a very common pest that affects the cotton crop in India. The Bt cottonseed, which is — has been marketed by Monsanto, among other multinationals, requires two resources that are already scarce for most Indian smallholder farmers. That's money and water. Bt cottonseeds cost anywhere from two times to 10 times as much as regular cottonseed, and they also require a great deal more water in order to yield successful crops. The farmers often go to private moneylenders, who charge exorbitant interest rates, to purchase the seeds, on the promises and based on aggressive marketing that they will bring greater financial security. But then, because 65 percent of cotton farms in India are rain-fed and don't have access to irrigation, the crops inevitably fail. And also, increasing drought has made that the case for many farmers. So they've gone into insurmountable debt to purchase the inputs. They don't have the yields. They repeat this cycle for a couple of seasons. And by the end of it, they're simply trapped in a cycle that they can't get out of, and they consume the very pesticide that they purchased, in order to kill themselves. And—
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35 comments // "Every 30 Minutes": Crushed by Debt and Neoliberal Reforms, Indian Farmers Commit Suicide at Staggering Rate // Video

  • August_K
    • 0
      August_K  

    • Monsanto.....they are pure evil.
      They're causing problems all over the globe.
      Why can't some super-tornado hit them and just wipe them off the face of the planet.... instead of residential areas?

    • 1 year ago
  • ninetyseven
    • 0
      ninetyseven  

    • Sorry ..What is a neoliberal ?
      Neoliberalism describes a market-driven[1] approach to economic and social policy based on neoclassical theories of economics that stresses the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade and relatively open markets, and therefore seeks to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the political and economic priorities of the state.
      The term "neoliberalism" has also come into wide use in cultural studies to describe an internationally prevailing ideological paradigm that leads to social, cultural, and political practices and policies that use the language of markets, efficiency, consumer choice, transactional thinking and individual autonomy to shift risk from governments and corporations onto individuals and to extend this kind of market logic into the realm of social and affective relationships.[2] Philosopher Mark Lila refers to the "The forces of globalized nation that have given us a 'neoliberalism' that people everywhere associated with unregulated markets, labor exploitation, environmental degradation, and official corruption."[3]
      Had to look it up.....
      even more confused now.

    • 1 year ago
  • robbie2622
    • 0
      robbie2622  

    • It's been my experience that anything that begins with "NEO" is never good. Think Neo-Con's, Neo- Nazi's, etc.. So why should Neo- Liberals be any different?
      All these neo's by there very nature have had, what is for lack of a better term, "a come to Jesus" moment. This usually happens at some low point in there life, you know like the reformed smoker that's puffing on a Marlboro one day and wanting to see the death penalty for smokers the next. We've all met this guy (or gal) at least once in our life. Well once is usually enough. :o but I digress.
      Anyhow my point being that allowing any extremist minority to hold the reins of power is bound to turn around and bite you in the ass.

      I feel bad for these farmers but it's up to them to change there situation either at the voting booth or with pitchfork and torch in hand.

      By the way that last part usually gets their attention really quickly! I advocate this method for getting rid of politicians on the take. A little "Tar and feathers" sends a strong message not to be ignored. :))

    • 1 year ago
  • EmileZ
    • +5
      EmileZ [removed]  

    • How can the Monsanto executives, stockholders (including the Gates Foundation), employees, etc. sleep at night. How can they look at themselves in the mirror each morning???

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • robbie2622
  • coxian_armada
    • +5
      coxian_armada  

    • This is just pathetic, I'm sorry but nobody in India would even bother about this. When it comes to elections its a circus run by rhodeo clowns. The society is stuck up with this getting rich rat race that they don't give a rat's ass about whats happening around them. Corruption is so deeply rooted it just makes knowing something expensive. Add this with the still lingering superstitions and racial problems(i.e caste). Any attempt by anyone to help these people end up being frustrated by the bureaucracy and endless political gimmicks by the politicians and their zombie supporters. Seeing this issue coming up and buried down again and again only makes me ashamed of being an Indian native myself. Looking at the media, NDTV is nothing more than the Indian Version of Fox news, pathetic, loud, shallow and TRP mongers. The only time when this issue was in the news when the movie "Peepli Live" was released, its takes a movie for people to realise whats happening, lasts for 2 months max and its back to entertainment news. Thats what life is about, entertainment...........

    • 1 year ago
  • cicly
  • JanforGore
  • COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM
    • +2
      COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM  

    • This is what corporatocracy is attempting to compel U.S. citizens to do, once they have wrung every cent from us that they possibly can. If they could, they would then send us to Purina for dog food.

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
  • queenofit
    • +6
      queenofit  

    • I know for a fact that JanforGore has been posting information about these suicides for years and I have been adding comments. I am glad to see this report and would love to get coverage in the MSM. I do not watch tv, but I did a google and see nothing other than gmwatch, democracy now, and individual blogs carrying the newly released report from Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at NYU. There is a grassroots movement here in the United States that is rising up and soon our numbers will increase enough that we can damage the stronghold Monsanto and their cronies possess on our food culture. The weakness of our elected officials, our so called news media and anyone else involved in the cover-up of the deadly tactics of this company is appalling. We cannot depend on anyone other than ourselves to take a stand against them, but with enough numbers will be able to turn their heads. I am praying to live to see that day!

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
    • +5
      JanforGore  
    • queenofit:

      This is actually the corroboration that unfortunately needed to be reported. And yet, nothing in the MSM about this human rights crisis and abuse. And that is exactly what this is, a human rights crisis from India, to Argentina, to Paraguay, to America, to Africa, to Asia, to all places GM seeds have touched in the world where their presence goes against the consent of the people and the principleis of responsible and sound science. In spite of that however, you are correct. A grassroots movement is rising up from farmers to consumers and we aren't going to be silent about this any longer!

    • 1 year ago
  • queenofit
    • +5
      queenofit  
    • JanforGore:

      Our govt officials just authorized 700 billion in "defense", yet that same govt body is pushing Monsanto' GMO's on us and other countries with reckless abandon. So it does not take much to figure out just from that type of paradoxical action, where the govt puts their main interest. If saving life was their goal, and to me it is not, then why is this allowed to continue and more, why isn't this at least covered in MSM. IMO this is as bad as any natural disaster that happens, or even the fish die-offs, they get national attention? I mean, every 30 minutes another suicide and been going on for 16 years???? come on.... How can any living soul put something like this in the "who cares" column?

      One other thought, I feel a lot more threatened by the food that is being contaminated than any bomb that might come close to me? I mean really?

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
    • +4
      JanforGore  
    • queenofit:

      Well sure, I have no doubt Monsanto is an arm of the Pentagon. Just look at what they are doing in Iraq, Afghanistan (oh, and Pakistan after the floods) and "Plan Columbia." That's a whole other issue that has been discussed here and put on the backburner. Is that why they get a media pass? It makes sense to them that supporting the invasion of GMOs would be a war tactic as well since these companies were toxic war chemical makers and simply repackaged it to make people now think they are now "life sciences" companies. It is insidious.

    • 1 year ago
  • queenofit
    • +2
      queenofit  
    • JanforGore:

      Exactly, this is so obvious to those of us who have gone back and researched the products that have been developed by Monsanto. Look at what damage was done by Agent Orange, which was supposed to used to defoliant the jungles? It not only devastated the land, it also left many deformed children in it's path and along with that our soldiers came home with countless health issues, one of my good friends just recently diagnosed with leukemia, which has been directly linked to his exposure in Vietnam. Here is a link to some of that information http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/IntheWorkplace/agent-...

      As you say, if this is a war tactic, then we must surmise, we (u.s. citizens) are also victims of that plot?

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • wolfess
    • +1
      wolfess  
    • queenofit:

      Tell me more ... isn't monsanto one of the companies that made 'agent orange' for the Vietnam war? My husband is very sick because of what he was exposed to over there, and our first child died of cancer 2 days after he was born (in 1972). Whether monsanto was part of that scam or not, I still want to know more so that I can be part of the solution instead of the problem :-).

    • 1 year ago
  • wolfess
    • +2
      wolfess  
    • queenofit:

      Ok, I should have read further ... my husband has diabetes, and chronic kidney failure, and congestive heart failure -- all because he fought for his country. As I said above, we had our first child 10 mos after Mike came home, and that child died of cancer 2 days after he was born. Maybe the monsanto execs need to have a 'genetically engineered' cocktail :-)!

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • queenofit
    • +2
      queenofit  
    • Image
    • wolfess:

      "1961-1971: Agent Orange was a mixture of 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D and had very high concentrations of dioxin. Agent Orange was by far the most widely used of the so-called "Rainbow Herbicides" employed in the Herbicidal Warfare program as a defoliant during the Vietnam War. Monsanto became one of 10-36 producers of Agent Orange for US Military operations in Vietnam. Dow Chemical and Monsanto were the two largest producers of Agent Orange for the U.S. military. The Agent Orange produced by Monsanto had dioxin levels many times higher than that produced by Dow Chemicals, the other major supplier of Agent Orange to Vietnam. This made Monsanto the key defendant in the lawsuit brought by Vietnam War veterans in the United States, who faced an array of debilitating symptoms attributable to Agent Orange exposure. Agent Orange is later linked to various health problems, including cancer. U.S. Vietnam War veterans have suffered from a host of debilitating symptoms attributable to Agent Orange exposure. Agent Orange contaminated more than 3,000,000 civilians and servicemen. According to Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities, plus 500,000 children born with birth defects,
      LEADING TO CALL FOR MONSANTO TO BE PROSECUTED FOR WAR CRIMES. INTERNAL MONSANTO MEMOS SHOW THAT MONSANTO KNEW OF THE PROBLEMS OF DIOXIN CONTAMINATION of Agent Orange when it sold it to the U.S. government for use in Vietnam. ... keep in mind it was used to remove leaves from the trees where AMERICAN SOLDIERS were breathing, eating, sleeping."

      http://bestmeal.info/monsanto/company-history.shtml

    • 1 year ago
  • queenofit
    • +2
      queenofit  
    • wolfess:

      To bring this full circle, the fact is Monsanto knew about the contamination of Dioxin and covered it up years before it was sprayed in Nam, taking the lives of millions in their hands. Now we are asked to accept their own test regarding foods? Not to mention the millions of deaths caused by them in India, still happening today? We cannot stand by and allow this company to defraud the public any longer, we must speak out, as our history clearly shows, this company has no concern for public health, and will do ANYTHING to capture profits. I am so sorry your husband is suffering from the affects of Agent Orange, my friend was able to draw from the funds established for Vietnam Vets who are sick, I hope you have been able to do so. I realize nothing is going to pay for the loss of health, but it provides some solace. I am also so very sorry to read about your babies death. Very sad indeed.

    • 1 year ago
  • queenofit
    • +2
      queenofit  
    • wolfess:

      One last comment, I don't want to seem as if I am trying to take away from the India story here, but I feel that comparing these two has some merit. See Agent Orange was a known carcinogen before it was sprayed in Vietnam, the govt and chemical companies knew the dangers, and it was covered up. Just like the present day Roundup/GMO seed controversy is being covered up. It isn't until the profits are tucked away in their greed vaults, that the horrible truths began to surface.

      "Monsanto's involvement with the production of dioxin contaminated 2,4,5-T dates back to the late 1940s. 'Almost immediately workers started getting sick with skin rashes, inexplicable pains in the limbs, joints and other parts of the body, weakness, irritability, nervousness and loss of libido,' to quote Peter Sills, author of a forthcoming book on dioxins. Internal Monsanto memos show that Monsanto knew of the problems but once again a cover-up was the order of the day. "

      and this...

      "Monsanto's contribution to the well being of the world has included dioxin, rBGH, PCBs, DDT, Agent Orange and Roundup. Monsanto is currently aggressively pushing genetically modified crops, a technology the world does not need and does not want. For Monsanto, corporate greed far outweighs planetary need. Monsanto aggressively pursues anyone who dares to criticize their policies. "

      http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/orange.htm

      Certainly there is plenty of well documented material regarding the unscrupulous tactics used by this corporation, and yet, somehow, our government has become cozy bed partners with them, and maintained a tight bond which is more than enough evidence to show me there is even darker information below the surface.

    • 1 year ago
  • wolfess
    • +1
      wolfess  
    • queenofit:

      We are receiving VA benefits (b/c I made Mike go get the agent orange exam) and then applied for the benefits online. Found out from the doctor at the VA that did the ao exam that it was also sprayed in Korea during the 13 mos that Mike was there.
      Our second son that was born 5 years after the first one is severely retarded -- I believe ALL of this is related to Mike's exposure to agent orange. So ... since I have a pretty outstanding story to tell, what do I need to know, and where do I need to go, to make MY story public -- to monsanto's shame?

    • 1 year ago
  • wolfess
    • 0
      wolfess  
    • JanforGore:

      Thank you for this link -- I posted a comment on it, I am so tired of being in a country that glorifies companies that commit murder; I would even go so far as to say it is 1st degree murder because they obviously realized what they were doing and chose to do it anyway! Maybe it's time for everyone who has been affected by their selfishness to bring a new class action lawsuit -- not asking for money, but for monsanto's punishment.

    • 1 year ago
  • queenofit
    • 0
      queenofit  
    • wolfess:

      Not really that knowledgeable regarding where you would go to put your story out there, I imagine it would be best to begin by googling; put subject" Agent Orange victims" or even "children of agent orange victims"? I am sure there are many others, I just don't have experience in that at all. Keep us informed on how it goes? Best wishes!

    • 1 year ago
  • August_K
    • 0
      August_K  
    • JanforGore:

      That's so true. Monsanto made Agent Orange and other highly toxic things for the military.
      They still make toxic shit, but NOW it's engineered into our crops, sprayed on our crops and our farmlands.

      I was just watching FoodMatters tonight and GMO is in over 70% of the foods in our grocery stores. I wonder now if we really are living longer or if that is just some made up story so they can raise the retirement age some more?
      Just think of the money they'd save....

    • 1 year ago
  • August_K
  • August_K
    • 0
      August_K  
    • queenofit:

      I just watched a video tonight called Food Matters and in it they pointed out that Justice Clarence Thomas was a Monsanto lawyer before getting on the supreme court.
      Several other former Monsanto people were appointed to high posts at the EPA and the FDA by the Bush administration. They were all complicit in furthering their agenda of poisoning us.

      Justice Thomas even wrote the majority opinion that made it illegal for farmers to save their own seeds on big farms. Monsanto even sued a guy who helped the farmers out.
      Things have really gotten out of control........
      We need a clean sweep of all the bribed/bought off people in the FDA, USDA and the EPA
      and anyone who formerly worked for a chemical company should NEVER be permitted to
      work in any of those agencies or be a lobbyist.

    • 1 year ago
  • LivingPong
    • +3
      LivingPong  

    • Monsanto should not be able to take over the seed-stock through biological contamination. Through biological contamination Monsanto can ensure they force farmers to use their seed products and then crush any objections to this corrupt practice with their army of lawyers. It seems the legislators and judges are afraid of standing up to Monsanto.

    • 1 year ago
  • covelogibbs
    • +7
      covelogibbs  

    • We have blood on OUR hands, for allowing this to happen.

      Something has to be done about Monsanto!! It's a heartbreaker that we have another administration that is simply a ruber stamp for corporate greed. The corporate and biotech/government revolving door just keeps spinning . What can we do?

      Buy organic cotton!?

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
    • +8
      JanforGore  
    • covelogibbs:

      Some good news is that many of us are not allowing it, we are fighting it. And that is the positive side to this. As you I am sure know, Dr. Vandana Shiva through her organization Navdanya has been providing seeds to farmers in order to get them out of this nightmare and farmers themselves are standing up to the deceptive tactics employed by Monsanto and other companies doing this. More and more Americans as well are becoming aware of these practices and demanding an end to them. The problem arises out of the fact that the biological contamination of organic varieties is such that none now exists thanks to the spread of this BT cotton, which has also killed livestock and presented farmers with a problem in that it is not resistant to the pests it was said it would prevent, while also presenting another problem regarding the use of Round Up. This is so utterly heinous I don't know what other words to describe this with except evil. Monsanto lied to these farmers, took their money and now claims no responsibility for what has now happened as a result of it, even increasing the prices of their imputs. This is why it is important that as many people know about this as can get this information. It matters not who in the White House, they and the agencies responsible for allowing this to happen need to be made accountable for the repurcussions of their actions. The only way it would seem to do that now is through citizen action and civil disobedience.

    • 1 year ago
  • WagonMaster
  • JanforGore
    • +7
      JanforGore  

    • Monsanto has blood on its hands! How can this government support them?! How?!

      Please Vanguard, your show needs to bring this to the people. We are allowing US multinationals to get away with murder and environmental destruction. This is patently immoral and criminal.

    • 1 year ago
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