For last 20 and odd years, the suicides and suicidal attempts among famers have become a severe and painful blot on the social fabric of Maharashtra. More than 3,50,000 farmers have ended their lives by committing suicides in India. The gloomiest part of it is that Maharashtra is one of the highest states among three states where farmers are committing suicides continuously over the years.
For last 20 years the elections were fought on this political issue of suicides by farmers. All the remedial measures – from complete loan waivers to Art of living meditation – were tried out but all of them proved to be in vain.

Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of Maharashtra are the most affected regions which are prone to farmers’ suicides.
Yavatamal district in Vidarbha and Usmanabad district in Marathwada region have recorded highest number of suicides by farmers. More than 300 farmers are ending their lives due to indebtedness every year and in these two districts only. This is comparatively highest figure among any states in India. The care and welfare of the remaining family members when head of the family commits suicide – parents, wife, children etc – also reflects severity of this issue.

In this context, SHIVAR, a youth organization which is actively trying to tackle the issues like farmers’ suicides and farming in Usmanabad district have come together to lessen the burden of farmers and reduce the suicides among farmers, and would like to jointly undertake a program in this effect.