Empowering farmers – ‘No suicides’

Farmers’ suicides in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and other parts of India is a very grave and disturbing phenomenon being seen since last 10 years. Since last 2-3 years though, the number of suicides has aggravated alarmingly.

The issue has many easy but temporary solutions. Distribution of relief packages is not helping the farmers sustain in the long run. The solution of this problem requires multiple interventions: Support in changing the cropping and farming patterns, introducing low-cost and low-water techniques, supporting the capital investment in agriculture, offering educational support to children of farmers, and emotional support to keep the morale of farmers in difficult conditions.

Deendayal Shetkari Vikas Prakalp is a project planned with this vision. It is taking a longer and less-popular route, but it is focussing on capacity building of farmers and on their long-term sustainability in farming. Deendayal Bahuuddeshiya Prasarak Mandal (DBPM), Yawatmal is the organisation implementing this project.

The organisation has conducted a survey of 60 worst-affected villages and has formed groups of farmers to help them work together. The survey has helped a root-cause analysis. The solutions range from helping a group of farmers start support activities for additional income like bee-keeping, organising Self Help Groups (SHGs), promoting organic farming, advising farmers on crop patterns or watershed development through small bund construction, developing seed banks, etc.

The organisation has distributed seeds to farmers and has conducted trainings on how to make best use of available resources. Success of these start-up activities has bolstered the villagers’ confidence in the organisation, and this is further enhancing the support base for this program.

DBPM is a registered Public Charitable Trust Under the Mumbai Trust Act, 1950, (Reg. no. 3949/97)


You can support DBPM

The organisation i.e. DBPM has taken a longer but more sustainable route to solve the problem. The project has reached 1000 farmers thus far, but the need is much bigger.

DBPM needs approx. Rs. 1 Crore for this project. You can contribute to raise this fund.

  • Sponsor a farmer: Rs. 10,000

  • Sponsor a training event: Rs. 6,000

  • Sponsor a seed bag: Rs. 1,000



Drop a cheque in the name of: “Sewa International”

Write to: info@sevasahayog.com or Call: +91 20 24458702 / +91 20 24433606


Our other partners-in-Rural Development:

  • Dr. Hedgewar Seva Samiti’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nandurbar

  • Oak Vanaushadhi Sanshodhan Pratishthan, Karjat

  • Sheti Parivar Kalyan Sanstha, Atpadi (Sangli)