"Farmers' Suicides in Karnataka: The Spatial-Temporal Analysis

Abstract

Southe Indian states, especially in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, are heavily indebted, with a significant percentage of agricultural mens facing debt. This study examines farmer suicides in Karnataka, revealing higher rates in developed districts like Haveri, Madya, Mysore, and Belagavi, contrary to lower rates in drought-prone areas. Farmer suicides, calculated per hectare and per farming family, are driven by factors beyond monsoon failures, including debt, bankruptcy, and market challenges. Solutions proposed include psychological counseling, increased crop loans, technological adaptation, changes in farming methods, and enforcing minimum support prices (MSP).