-Outlook     Yavatmal: Hundreds widows of farmers and hailstorm hit farmers staged a protest here today, to protest against the apathy of the Maharashtra state government and its bureaucrats towards their plight. The protestors demanded fresh crop loans, a higher minimum support price at the rate of Rs 6500 per quintal, disbursement of relief aid to all farmers, family pension as well as food security to all widows of farmers and families of...

-The Hindustan Times   Chhajali (Sangrur): The ongoing parliamentary elections hold little meaning for 80-year-old debt-ridden Jasmail Kaur as they cannot change her fate. Jasmail has been living alone at her small house at Chhajali village of Sunam since her 19-yearold son Jaggi committed suicide 18 years ago. "Jaggi was two when his father Gurjant Singh died of a prolonged illness," says Jasmail with tears in her eyes. "For the past 18 years,...

-The New Indian Express   Chennai: Non-governmental organisation Praphanjam conducted a food festival - Chennai Parampariya Unavu Thiruvizha - recently, hoping to draw attention to organic farming, which could help to reduce the suicide rate among farmers. With today's farmers in dire need of sustainability, only organic farming falls within the accepted definition of sustainable agriculture. But to put organic farming into practice, a large number of consumers are required. "Through this festival...

-ANI   Aurangabad: Absence of proper rainfall has risked the farmlands of Aurangabad district in Maharashtra and lack of subsequent effective government intervention is leaving farmers with no option but suicide. According to climate report of researchers there are high chances of climatic conditions similar to El Nino effect to occur in 14 districts in Maharashtra. Farmers of Marathwada region in Aurangabad have been experiencing difficult times for the last three years. The...

-The New York Times   As politicians scramble for India's 815 million votes in the most expensive and closely contested general election in the nation's history, an unexpected protest is rumbling from what was once one of the country's most placid voter blocs: its farmers. The protest is inflamed by rising attention to the shocking suicide rate on India's hardscrabble farms. Since 1995, more than 290,000 farmers have killed themselves. Though that figure,...