Where is Mandya?

The problem

Income and basic needs in Mandya.

Vikasana and Poverty Alleviation

Existing project: Beedi makers.

Vikasana and Education

Vikasana and Sanitation

What we want to help Vikasana to do for poor rural women in Mandya

The problem

 

Hard to sum up in 20 words or less! mainly, falling agricultural production as a result of climate-change induced drought is causing suicide amongst Karnataka’s farmers.

The Hindu, January 2, 2004, reported as follows: Repeated bank reminders for loan repayments drove farmers in Karnataka to suicide. I’ve summarised the report:

For three successive years, farmers in the village had to contend with a number of problems such as drought, failure of the monsoon, crop failure, migration, erratic power supply and drinking water shortages. In most cases, farmers and landless labourers had to borrow money even for their day-to-day needs. The common refrain among relatives of the dead farmers in 18 villages in Maddur taluk, Mandya district was, “Bank officers and their assistants, who were armed with notices insisting on the repayment of loans despite the fact that successive years of drought had taken a toll on all of us, forced our kith and kin to commit suicide in the past one year”. Typical loan amounts were 40 000 rupees (around AUD 1150).


Farmers’ relatives suggested that Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna stop releasing water to Tamil Nadu. They also requested the rescheduling of loan repayments, financial support, quality and subsidised seeds and pesticides, free seeds to below the poverty line (BPL) families, alternative employment to agricultural labourers and the waiver of loans.