Economic Shocks, Mental Health and Institutional Failure: An Integrated Model of Farmer Suicidality in India

In Maharashtra, India, for the past 20 years, the state of Maharashtra has seen a large number of farmers committing suicide, as this leads to a large number of deaths of people who are working on farms. This study identifies multiple variables that cause this situation to happen and what are the reasons for farmers from Maharashtra, India to commit suicide. This study also focuses on a number of socio-economic, environmental, and psychological aspects of the reasons that cause farmers to commit suicide. An analysis of the data collected was conducted from a random sample of 161 farmer families, and the data collected by the Office of the Divisional Commissioner and other departments of the state of Maharashtra. The data collection process consisted of face-to-face interviews and a structured, pre-tested interview schedule. The authors of this research used the Suicidal Tendency Model, as well as performed a dummy variable regression analysis, in order to evaluate how the above-mentioned factors and variables affect farmers' suicidal tendencies. Research indicates that agrarian distress, joblessness, and inadequate government assistance are the most important predictors of farmer suicides. A complete model was created to better understand these predictors and how they relate to one another, which can explain 76.4% (R² = 0.764) of the variance observed in farmer suicide rates. The results support a strong statistical validity (F = 7.215, p < 0.001) of the findings. Additionally, the results indicate that a multi-faceted approach to addressing the issue of farmer suicide is necessary, such as creating more beneficial economic policies, increased mental health support for farmers, developing stronger safety nets for families and communities, as well as implementing targeted programs and solutions to address the agrarian crisis. Additionally, the data collected in this research indicate that if farmers were able to manage their finances appropriately, they would have more supports available to them and be more successful in their farming careers.