Suicide has emerged as public health problem in India over the last two decades, especially by the rise of Farmers’ suicide rates in the rural areas. The globalization brought both opportunities and threats to those who participate in the economic activities that are globally connected. Globalization of agriculture has direct impact, both negative and positive on the welfare of the rural households and particularly those depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Agriculture had been the first casualty in the LPG processes commencing with WTO and GATT agreements Inputs such as fertilizers, insecticides, mechanical power and improved seeds occupy a prominent place in input structure. The purchases of inputs claim a large share of farmers’ cash expenditure and forcing the farmers, particularly small and marginal farmers, to take loans from various sources. With the Institutionalized credit dwindling due to structural adjustments, farmers had to turn towards private money lenders who only squeezed them with exorbitant interest rates. With the failure of monsoons and the spurious nature of seeds and fertilizers, the farmers incurred losses for consecutive years pushed into debt trap. Besides the economic cause the loss of social esteem drove them to desperation and alienation from which they could extricate themselves only through suicide.
Key Words: Suicide: A self inflicted act willfully carried out by the victim himself, Globalization: Series of changes in economic and world trade world wide beginning in the 1990s, WTO: World Trade Organization, GATT: General Agreement on Trade and Tarifs.
Review Article
P. 5-14
