Save The

FarmersA FUND RAISER TO PREVENT FARMER SUICIDES IN MAHARASHTRA

(JAYANT BHOPATKAR: SEATTLE MAHARASHTRA MANDAL)

Background

Fact: India is an agrarian country with more than 60% of the population directly or indirectly depending on agriculture.

Historical Data

Farmer suicides started in the late 1800’s: mostly due to unjust taxing by the British

Suicide rates have increased since 2001.

In 2004, India recorded the highest number of farmer suicides: 18,241.

Farmer suicides account for 11.4% of all suicides

Maharashtra recorded the highest number of farmer suicides in India

Vidarbha and Marathwada regions the most affected in the state; Yavatmal district leads all districts in these regions

Reasons

Monsoons Too little to No rain

Too much rain

High Debt burdens (due to illegal lending practices)

Failures of Genetically Modified (GM) crops

Family problems Expenses for marriages of children

Drinking, gambling

Govt. policies and political affiliations

Public health, chronic illness

Repercussions

Increased poverty: unsupported families due to demise of primary bread-earner

Increase in crime

Lower chance of educating the children of farmers due to child labor

Lower national production leading to poorer self-reliance and economy

Farmer revolts

Fixes

Prevention of farmer suicide

Providing psychological support to cope with trauma

Providing support to families to repay debts and/or fight the legal battles with creditors

Irrigation and other agricultural measures

Self reliance Grow own seed

Grow own fertilizers

Better farming principles

Rehabilitation and Livelihood support (other professions)

Who is helping?

BMM and Maharashtra Foundation is jointly appealing to all local Maharashtra mandals across North America to do individual fund-raisers

Maharashtra Foundation’s Adopt a Widow program NAAM (Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure project)

Nana Patekar, Makrand Anaspure, Akshay Kumar http://www.indiawest.com/entertainment/bollywood/nana-patekar-on-farmer-suicides-it-is-time-for-a/article_28a65d20-4c21-11e5-bacd-a794fb4bcc1d.html

“Paisa is a by-product. I will get it anyway. Rs 10 crore or Rs 100 crore won’t give me security. I feel secure by doing this. It is only a bandage on a huge wound. But in the process I am securing that human being that is still alive in me. Everyone will forget me if I stop acting in films. You won’t come to interview me, but I know that those people (farmers) will remember me for life,”

The Ask

Make a tax-deductible donation check to SMM with “FARMER” in the memo line.

SMM will collect all funds and provide it to the joint efforts of BMM and MF

All funds go directly to the support agencies in India

Drive starts today: SMM Aarti collection

SMM donation (will match up to $500 collected today)

Individual donations

Employer matching, donation receipts

Thank You!

Please direct any and all questions to president@seattlemm.org or srmchitnis@gmail.com.

Thank You, and God Bless You!

Appendix

Case Study #1: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-maharashtra-father-commits-suicide-teenage-daughter-s-future-in-dark-2123647 A land owner and labourer from Nanded, Keshav Kadam had incurred a loan of

nearly Rs 5 lakh, which he was unable to pay as the rain skipped his village Konda year after year. He left behind a family of six, including his elderly parents, who have nowhere to go.

Case Study #2: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-future-of-my-kids-looks-bleak-says-marathwada-farmer-gangubai-dandge-2127455

Marathwada farmer Balu Dange was pretty upset at money lenders constantly harassing for a debt of Rs 40,000 that he wanted to return but couldn’t because of lack of crop…

Case Study #3: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-we-are-slowly-forgetting-festivals-says-marathwada-farmer-suryakant-kundre-2126708 “I do not know how to go on living," says farmer Surykant Kundre, who toils with

his wife on a 1-acre arid land.

Surykant

Case Study #4: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-we-now-eat-only-once-a-day-says-marathwada-farmer-sumitrabai-bhade-2126451

Farmers, who used to provide food for everyone else, have become beggars. I now cook only once a day, says Sumitrabai Bhade, widow of a farmer who commited suicide.