“ The lone farmer gazed out over his small plot of land as the sun broke through the horizon. Feeling hopeless, he looked down at the pesticides in his hand, rolling them around and around. Fleeting thoughts of his two daughters skipped about in his mind. He tried not to think of their all-encompassing smiles. His youngest daughter tended to stick her tongue out through the gap in her smile. Although she was a young lady, growing up with three brothers imparted a steadfast rebellious personality within her.

He thought of her as sadness entered his heart. His legs felt heavy. It became hard to even stand up straight. He knew that things wouldn’t sort themselves out without him, and his family would deteriorate. He knew his actions would crush the spirit in his favorite daughter. He knew all of this, yet the weight of life was too much to bear.

Tears flowed silently down his cheeks. Nothing chirped in the early dawn; the pesticides made sure of that. With fleeting thoughts of his daughter, the farmer tilted his head back, swallowed the pesticides, and waited for death’s cool grip to take hold. ”

The story is unfortunately common among farmers in Punjab, India. The effects of compounding loans, decreasing plots and unsustainable farming practices have backed many farmers into a corner. Often the only route of escape visible is suicide.

In response to the sad truth of the situation, many communities and activists are taking action to educate the general population and provide support. Small donations provide a chance for life among farmers.

Two particular activists who have taken action in response to the situation are Anwar Jamal, who directed “Harvest of Grief”, and Rasil S. Basu, who produced the same film. The film works to further awareness of the situation. We seek to raise funds to assist with the financing of the film and post-production posts.. Any money that is raised past what is required for the film will be donated directly to the families featured in the film.

Farmer Suicides Awareness program organizes movie screenings, discussions, conferences, and talks to raise awareness of the plight faced by farmers in Punjab.

Through awareness and small collective donations, together we can turn around the fortunes of farmers working without hope.

Please donate here to help with this awareness creation project.

For further information or if you would like to help screen the movie in your local area, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it