Income and Poverty Levels:

West Bengal: Approximately 90% of farmers are small and marginal, with limited landholdings leading to low and unstable incomes. High input costs and inadequate market infrastructure exacerbate their financial instability. Source: https://www.epw.in/journal/2022/23/special-articles/conditions-farmers-west-bengal.html

Income Disparities and Economic Challenges:

Low Average Incomes: Farmers in West Bengal earn significantly less compared to their counterparts in other states. A 2022 report by the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) indicated that the average monthly income of a farming family in West Bengal was approximately INR7,573, which is about a third of what farmers in Punjab earn.
Source:
https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/bengal-farmer-earns-3-times-less-than-punjab-counterpart-nabard-report-122101600086_1.html

Limited Access to Credit: Many farmers face difficulties in securing adequate credit, hindering their ability to invest in quality seeds, fertilizers, and modern farming equipment. This lack of financial support perpetuates a cycle of low productivity and income.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India%27s_Agriculture_Development_Problem:_Lack_of_Access_to_Credit

Climate-Related Challenges:

Adverse Climatic Events: A 2024 report highlighted that 80% of marginal farmers in India have suffered crop losses due to adverse climatic events over the past five years. Primary causes include droughts, irregular rainfall, and shifts in monsoon patterns, leading to significant reductions in crop yields and financial instability.
Source:
https://m.economictimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/80-of-marginal-farmers-in-india-affected-by-adverse-climatic-events-report/articleshow/111264951.cms

Soil Degradation: In West Bengal, 24% of the soil is degraded due to erosion, salinization, and nutrient depletion, affecting approximately 1.8 million hectares of land. This degradation exacerbates the challenges faced by farmers in maintaining productive agricultural practices.
source:
https://www.switchon.org.in/press_release/24-of-west-bengals-soil-degraded-youth-women-entrepreneurs-farmers-unite-for-solutions/

Migration and Socioeconomic Impact:

Increased Migration: The lack of local employment opportunities and financial instability have compelled many rural inhabitants, including those from West Bengal, to migrate to other states or urban areas in search of work, disrupting family structures and community cohesion.
Source:
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/governance/lack-of-mgnregs-work-driving-migration-in-rural-west-bengal-88953

Suicides Among Farmers:

National Statistics: In 2022, a total of 11,290 individuals involved in the farming sector in India died by suicide, reflecting the severe distress within the agricultural community.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmers%27_suicides_in_India

Why should we help farmers in rural areas with farming and crop production issues through our NGO?

Our NGO, Devipeeth India Foundation, is aligned with our mission of helping farmers in rural areas with their farming and crop production problems, promoting social justice and supporting marginalized communities. Why this initiative is important:

Farmers are the backbone of the food supply chain: Supporting them directly contributes to the availability of affordable and nutritious food for all.
Rural farmers ensure agricultural diversity: Their work sustains traditional crops and practices that are vital for ecological balance and biodiversity.
Farming is a primary livelihood for many in rural India: Addressing crop production issues and providing resources can improve yields, leading to higher incomes.
Reducing rural-urban migration: Enhancing agricultural sustainability creates local employment, reducing the need for farmers to leave their homes in search of work.
Promoting sustainable practices: Training farmers in eco-friendly methods, such as organic farming and water conservation, helps combat climate challenges and protects the environment.
Resilience building: Providing support for climate-resilient crops and irrigation systems can safeguard livelihoods against unpredictable weather patterns.
Revitalizing the rural economy: Higher agricultural productivity boosts local economies, fostering markets and services in rural areas.
Value addition: Encouraging farmer cooperatives and introducing them to processing and marketing options can significantly increase profitability.
Involving women in agriculture: Programs that empower women through skills training in agriculture can lead to better household incomes and community development.
Engaging the younger generation: Offering modern agricultural tools and techniques can attract youth back to farming, reducing generational shifts away from agriculture.
Preserving traditional knowledge: Supporting farmers ensures the continuation of indigenous agricultural practices.
Strengthening community bonds: Collaborative farming initiatives promote unity and mutual support among rural populations.
Ecological justice: Supporting sustainable farming helps protect the environment, aligning with your mission of social and ecological justice.
Inclusive development: Focusing on the most marginalized communities fits with your commitment to equality, fraternity, and liberty for all.

Here are the key issues that hinder farmers from cultivating crops and how Devipeeth India Foundation can address these challenges, discussed below:

Issues Hindering Farmers from Cultivating Crops

High input costs: Farmers struggle to afford seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides due to their high prices.
Limited access to credit: 51.9% of agricultural households in India rely on non-institutional sources of credit, often at exploitative interest rates (NABARD, 2018).
Debt burden: Farm loan defaults are rising due to crop failures and inadequate support from financial institutions.
Unpredictable weather: 80% of marginal farmers in India experienced crop losses from extreme climatic events in recent years (2024 Report on Rural Farmers).
Soil degradation: In West Bengal, 24% of agricultural soil is degraded, affecting productivity.
Limited mechanization: Small and marginal farmers cannot afford advanced equipment or irrigation systems.
Low awareness: Many rural farmers lack knowledge about sustainable practices or access to high-yield seeds.
Poor infrastructure: Inadequate storage facilities and transportation lead to post-harvest losses of around 20% of total agricultural produce annually.
Price fluctuations: Farmers face exploitation due to their dependence on intermediaries.
Low government support: Programs like MGNREGS have reduced job opportunities for rural households in states like West Bengal.
Small landholdings: Nearly 86% of Indian farmers are small and marginal, with less than 2 hectares of land, making it difficult to achieve economies of scale.

How Devipeeth India Foundation Is Addressing These Issues:

Skill training programs: Initiatives like handicraft-making empower farmers with supplementary incomes, reducing their dependency on unpredictable agriculture.
Awareness campaigns: Conduct workshops on organic farming, soil health restoration, and crop rotation.
Sustainable irrigation: Introduce low-cost irrigation techniques to tackle water scarcity.
Access to tools: Distribute affordable farming tools and quality seeds to increase efficiency and yields.
Digital knowledge sharing: Provide mobile-based platforms for farmers to access weather forecasts, market prices, and agricultural tips.
Direct-to-market models: Help farmers sell produce without intermediaries to ensure fair prices.
Collectivization: Form farmer volunteer groups under "Devipeeth Volunteer" to pool resources and market crops collectively.
Encouraging women in farming: Engage women in agro-related activities and decision-making through training programs.
Involving youth: Introduce modern technology to attract younger generations back to farming.

Impact Through Statistics:

Skill Development: In 2022-2023, Devipeeth India Foundation trained 10 craftsmen in Beltala on handicraft-making, indirectly benefiting 50+ family members.
Financial Relief: The NGO fully funded a handicraft project, showing a 30% income increase for the involved farmers.
Volunteer Group Formation: Plans to mobilize a "Devipeeth Volunteer" farmer group aim to benefit 300 farmers in the first phase.

By addressing these obstacles with targeted interventions and data-backed strategies, Devipeeth India Foundation is actively working to empower rural farmers and improve agricultural sustainability in the Alipurduar district and beyond.