AGRARIAN CRISIS AND FARMER SUICIDES

Book Details

• Author: Gattu Satyanarayana

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: First Edition

• ISBN: 9788131614075

• Pages: 197 pages

• Cover: Hardcover

About the Book
This insightful book presents a critical analysis of India’s worsening agrarian crisis and the distressing surge in farmers’ suicides, especially against the backdrop of neoliberal economic reforms. Over the past two decades, rural India has undergone significant structural changes triggered by globalization and policy shifts that promote a market-driven capitalist economy, replacing the traditional self-sufficient agricultural system.

Focusing on Telangana, particularly the Warangal district, the study reveals how farmers struggle to navigate the complexities of the new economic environment without adequate institutional support, capital, or favorable market conditions. This lack of support has contributed to widespread distress, deepening rural inequality and leading to a tragic increase in suicides among farmers.

The book offers a comprehensive examination of the socio-economic, cultural, and political disruptions caused by these transformations. It explores critical areas such as technology adoption, labor relations, crop patterns, marketing challenges, and policy implications. It also evaluates government interventions and proposes practical solutions to address farmer vulnerability and policy gaps.

This is a valuable resource for sociologists, policymakers, researchers, and development professionals who seek a nuanced understanding of the rural crisis in post-liberalization India.

Contents

• Introduction

• Methodology

• Understanding Farmer Suicides: Socio-Economic Pressures and Family Dynamics

• Emerging Agrarian Structure, Mode of Production, Adoption of Technology, and Labour Relations

• Agricultural Dynamics: Crops, Investments, Marketing, and Policies

• Understanding Farmer Distress: Suicides and Official Reports

• Government Support for Families of Deceased Farmers: Policies, Programmes, and Stakeholder Roles

• Findings and Conclusions

About the Author / Editor
Gattu Satyanarayana is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology at Osmania University, Hyderabad. With over 35 years of teaching, research, and administrative experience, he has contributed extensively to fields such as agrarian studies, social movements, conflict studies, and sociology of education. He has served on various state bodies and presented papers across the globe. His notable publications include Changing Agrarian Structure and Labour Relations, Development: Displacement and Rehabilitation, Women in Grass-Roots Governance, and Globalization: Indian State and Educational Pursuits (edited).