Press release

Act now or climate change and oppression will result in more deaths as summer advances, warns ActionAid research.  

Lucknow, May 10, 2007: Climate change and oppression in Uttar Pradesh have combined to worsen hunger and deprivation amongst some of this populous state's poorest citizens reveals ActionAid's Hunger Monitoring project.  

Three farmers unable to deal with their woes committed suicide during three days of investigations in Jalaun district of Bundelkhand between 12 and 14 April 2007.   

"Government response to the problems is far from adequate. Much stronger intervention by the administration is needed to protect farmers and landless workers and to ensure food security. With the elections over, addressing these issues must be made top priority if Bundelkhand is to combat hunger and avoid further distress suicides," says Sudipta Kumar Badapanda Regional Manager, ActionAid Lucknow.  

"The situation will get worse as summer advances and water shortages become even more acute. The administration must intervene to protect farmers and ensure food security unless they want more deaths on their hands," he adds.  

"The last four to five years have seen an accentuation of adverse weather conditions with farmers being affected by prolonged drought, floods, hailstorms and decrease in annual rainfall", shares Bharat Dogra, a journalist and researcher with the Hunger Monitoring project. 

The research shows that the second factor contributing to the distress of the poor are the oppressive social conditions. Local powerful men pose a serious threat coupled by the failure of the administration to provide protection from their oppression.   

Somvati a villager bitterly complains, "Several times when we have worked hard to raise a good crop, big landlords arrogantly leave their cattle to graze on our fields." 

India is already facing its worst agrarian crisis with growing numbers of indebted farmers turning to suicide. Many small farmers in the Bundelkhand area are indebted both to moneylenders and government banks. As the weather gets hotter, the chances of paying back loans become difficult, leading to stress and in some extreme cases, suicides.  

The growing water scarcity poses further problems of survival to people and animals alike. Already there have been reports from the district of cattle dying due to water shortage. In recent years water level has gone down significantly.   

While exposing the reasons for distress, the research findings also point to the possible solutions and safeguards but immediate government action is required. Ways forward include using the rural employment guarantee act to restore traditional water sources, clean and repair tanks, take up soil and water conservation work and taking steps to ensure drinking water is on hand for people and animals before water scarcity reaches its peak.  

"Worsening hunger and declining food security can be controlled if a higher allocation for farming and ecological rehabilitation is made with a special emphasis on water conservation and aforrestation," says Sanjay Singh of Parmarth, ActionAid partner in Jalaun district.  

Some measures – such as increasing green cover to help conserve water – are already being taken forward by villagers with the support of local voluntary organisations and ActionAid. In Meengni village, Mataprasad Tiwari has helped raise thousands of trees and cares for them like someone cares for his children. But the scale and speed of response required is far larger.

The crisis echoes the demand for a genuine effort to bring respite to the sufferings of the poor farmers. The government must act now or the price of negligence could be lives and livelihood of millions of India's poorest.  

Notes to Editor  

Monitoring Hunger, an initiative of ActionAid, has been launched to help build pressure on the authorities to intervene by bringing to light realities of hunger in India today. It is also aimed at generating interest for the journalists to continue to report on the issue on a sustained basis. The research started in the month of April with journalist and researcher Bharat Dogra visiting four blocks – Madhogarh and Rampura (Jalaun district), Manikpur (Chitrakut District) and Naraini (Banda district).  

A detailed note on hunger and distress in Bundelkhand is enclosed with this press release.  

Parmarth, an ActionAid partner organization, has been working for nearly a decade in parts of Jalaun district (Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh).   

ActionAid is an international anti-poverty agency working with poor people in over 40 countries to end poverty together. www.actionaidindia.org   

For information and interviews contact:   

In Lucknow:   

Sanjay Singh (+91 94151 14151), parmarths@gmail.com

Sudipta Kumar (+91 94509 31541), Sudipta.K@actionaid.org