Why Do Indian Farmers Kill Themselves?
More than 2,000 Indian farmers commit suicide every year because they can´t sustain their farms and pay their debts. Of course globalisation has been blamed for this, just like it´s been blamed for everything else going wrong in the world. But others have pointed out that the real villain is agricultural subsidies - US taxpayers are forced to pay for the dumping of cotton in India, which destroys their market. And without a sophisticated financial system or micro credits, the Indian farmers can´t deal with even a temporary loss of income.
But I just talked to a person with some insights into Indian agriculture who mentioned another, terrifying reason. The Indian government pay Indian families who have lost their father after a suicide about $3,000. It´s a way of helping of course. And it´s a fortune. About ten times the annual wage. Unfortunately it´s also a powerful incentive for someone who can´t provide for his family.
Sad but plausible.
Labels: India Calling Security n Privacy
