This moving short film sheds light on the heart-breaking reality of farmer suicides in India

More than 300,000 farmers committed suicide in India between 1995 and 2014. The official figure for 2014 alone, although widely debated by journalists, still reports a mind-numbing 5,650 farmer suicides in the year.

While lack of government subsidies, corruption and bureaucratic hurdles are major contributors to these numbers, Indian agriculture’s overwhelming dependence on the monsoon and the growing uncertainty of seasonal rains still remain the biggest causes of concern for our farmers.

This new short film by Skymet Weather tells the story of nearly every poor farmer in India, where the absence of effective irrigation forces our food producers to live in constant fear amid the uncertainties of weather.

The film, which is part of the organization’s #HelpTheFarmer initiative, talks about the psychological impact of suicides on the families of the farmers, and particularly their children.

Skymet claims that the campaign is aimed at raising awareness about the issue and ‘bring a worry-free smile’ to the families of farmers.

While accurate weather forecast can hardly begin to address the issue of farmer suicides in India, the effort to shed light on the problem is still commendable. Let’s hope this film helps turn the nation’s attention from Radhe Maa’s red skirts to the dreadful situation faced by India’s farming community.

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