Significance of Farmers' Distress Index in Reducing Agrarian Crisis: An Approach to Study Vulnerability in the Context of Dryland Farmers in India

Abstract

Vulnerability assessments by developing Farmers' Distress Index (FDI) can play a vital role in the design of appropriate adaptation and mitigation policies directed towards the various structural changes in the recent era - for those who depend on agriculture for their livelihood and well-being. This paper attempts to build a picture of the vulnerability of distressed agricultural households by identifying the distress indicators - based on seven major dimensions, namely exposure, mitigating and adaptation strategies, adaptive capacity, triggers, sensitivity, psychological factors and impact. The aim of developing the Farmers' Distress Index (FDI), considering 50 indicators in the context of 640 dryland farmers of 4 districts in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, was to identify sources and forms of vulnerability that are specific to the context of designing resilience measures. The study we undertook reports the top 10 major indicators that drive the overall vulnerability of the districts. It also recommends a particular 'distress management package' by involving the local administration, research institutions and NGOs to build a specific action plan for intervention against each indicator.