60% Vidarbha farmers suffer from mental illnesses: Study

In the draught-prone Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, 60 per cent of the farmers are suffering from mental illnesses, according to a report by Hindustan Times quoting a study by the International Institute of Population Science (IIPS).

The study, which surveyed 300 households in Vidarbha, found that 34.7 per cent of the surveyed farmers suffered from somatic symptoms (a mental illness that leads to neurological issues, including body ache), 55 per cent complained of anxiety, 7.3 per cent showed symptoms of social dysfunction and most importantly, 24.7 per cent were diagnosed with severe depression.

The study, authored by Priyanka Bomble and Hemkhothang Lungdim, has been published in the international journal, Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health.

"This study has been conducted taking into account that often farmers suffer from mental issues that don’t get adequately addressed. There are several reasons, such as financial constraints and family issues that may lead to suicide. Mental illnesses may not lead to suicide but they can contribute to it," said Bomble, the principal author of the study. She said that proper and timely counselling to farmers can improve their mental strength to fight the odds.

According to the study, cases of anxiety and depression are highest among farmers who have taken loans above Rs 25,000 for agricultural purposes.

The Vidarbha and Marathwada regions in Maharashtra account for the the highest share in farm-related suicides at 34.7 percent. A total of 10,349 farmers and agricultural labourers committed suicide in 2018 in India, as per the National Crime Record Bureau in 2020.

According to the report, the state government in 2015 identified 14 districts where the Accredited Social Health Activist Scheme along with social workers and psychiatrists were asked to counsel farmers who suffer from mental illnesses, especially depression and anxiety. A release issued by the state government in 2019 stated that as many as 12,700 personnel were trained under the scheme in these districts.

The high percentage of farmers with mental illnesses, however, indicate that the scheme is failing to provide adequate support to the farmers.