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cotton

IFAD

Cotton: A matter of life or death for some Indian farmers

For some farmers in India, cotton yields have become a life-or-death matter.

In India's Maharashtra state, three million farmers depend on cotton for their livelihoods.

In 2014, failed harvests resulted in such dire financial circumstances, that nearly 1,000 farmers committed suicide.

Now, the UN is helping farmers learn new ways of growing cotton that are not only alleviating debt, but also protecting the environment.

Anu Anand has the story.

Duration: 3’58”