price (MSP) may not even cover the cost of production. It appears that the farmer will make a (small) profit. However, most of the small and marginal farmers have to take expensive loans, primarily from private lenders, to fund their farming process; interest rates can range from 30% to 60%,  in many instances. Thus, the MSP is inadequate when loan servicing is brought into the equation, and the situation worsens in the context of crop failure for whatever reason.

Farmers are then caught in debt traps. They need money to service their loans, fund the next agricultural season, and support their family. Hence, they take fresh loans. The debt cycle escalates. Loan recovery processes may be initiated, and these are often unethically aggressive in nature, even bordering on the criminal.

Farmers in this segment are especially susceptible to financial risks associated with the vagaries of nature and of the agricultural market; they are also vulnerable to corporate control. Studies indicate that more than 70% of farmer suicide cases occur among those engaged in cash crops, bringing debt, hyper commercialization, exploding input costs, water use patterns, and price volatility to the fore.

What is the solution? As a starter, farmers need to be protected from falling into the trap of the spiralling debt, which is the primary risk factor for suicide. For this, farming must be protected from failure and made profitable. Possible policy efforts are listed below; these are not in any specific order, and priorities would depend on circumstances.

 it is pointless to speculate about mental health issues that may drive farmer suicide. There is a certain folly in suggesting a mental health professional's role; can such a professional go from farm to farm each season that crops fail to offer antidepressants and psychotherapy to farmers whose families face financial ruin? This is not to say that such secondary and tertiary prevention interventions are useless; rather, it is more important to address the root cause of the problem as a step toward primary prevention.