The Farmers’ Distress Index serves as an early warning system designed to identify and mitigate agrarian distress. This distress can stem from various factors such as crop failures, income shocks, debt burdens, and extreme weather events.
The Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), which operates under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), developed this index. It has since been handed over to the central government for implementation.
The primary purpose of the index is to detect early signs of distress among farmers. This proactive approach helps prevent escalation at the village or block level. Central, state, and local authorities utilize the index to take timely preventive measures.
The index employs a data analysis method that incorporates information from various sources, including news reports, social media, and telephonic surveys targeting marginal and small farmers. The responses collected are mapped against seven indicators, which include:
Distress is quantified using a scale that assigns a value between 0 and 1:
When severe distress is identified, authorities take various intervention measures, such as:
The index is operational as a mobile and desktop application, making it accessible to state governments, agriculture departments, rural development agencies, universities, and NGOs.
Government agencies are integrating the Farmers’ Distress Index into existing policies to provide targeted relief and financial support to distressed farmers. This proactive approach helps ensure the well-being and economic stability of the agricultural community. As the saying goes, “A nation that fails its farmers fails its future.”
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