More than 50% marginal farmers reported losing crops due to extreme weather

The study suggested buffering of water in reservoirs, and the recharge of groundwater through check dams and watersheds for water in agriculture

More than 50 per cent of marginal farmers reported losing at least half of their standing crops due to extreme weather conditions, according to a recent survey. Extreme weather events include excessive or unseasonal rains, prolonged winter conditions, droughts, and floods.

The findings are part of the second Annual Survey on the 'State of Marginal Farmers of India 2024' by the Development Intelligence Unit (DIU), a collaborative enterprise of Sambodhi Research and Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF). The survey was commissioned by the Forum of Enterprises for Equitable Development (FEED), an organization dedicated to advocating for marginal farmers.

A total of 6,615 marginal farmers participated in the study. They were selected from a large pan-India panel of farmers.

 

The first round of the survey was conducted in 2023, and the respondents were selected based on their landholding size through tele-calling from samples drawn from 21 states.

According to government records, a marginal farmer is someone with up to 1 hectare of agricultural land where they do agricultural activities as a proprietor, sharecropper, or tenant.

Marginal farmers constitute the largest segment of India’s agricultural sector but own only about 24 per cent of the crop area. They have an average per capita holding of 0.38 hectare.

The study also found that compared to the crop loss reported in the last extreme weather event, the cumulative trend over the past five years shows that a higher proportion of farmers are losing at least one-third to half of their crops due to these events. The survey demonstrated that 50 per cent of paddy farmers and over 40 per cent of wheat farmers consistently lost more than half of their crops over the past five years. For all other crops, 45-65 per cent of the farmers reported losing more than 50 per cent of their crops.

In terms of actual quantum of loss, the survey indicated that assuming the average landholding size of a marginal farmer in India was 0.38 hectares, the proportion of income loss for 50 per cent marginal farmers who grew only paddy in kharif season was around 72 per cent.

Similarly, if the landholding is between 0.40 and 1 hectare, then the proportion of loss of paddy crop stood at 26 per cent. This pattern was also seen for wheat crops during the rabi season.

Regarding the accessibility of marginal farmers to various government initiatives to mitigate risks against climate change, the survey found that the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) played a crucial role in promoting agricultural resilience and economic stability, with around 35 per cent of the surveyed marginal farmers enrolled in this scheme.

Additionally, close to 83 per cent of the marginal farmers surveyed had received government grants or subsidies, primarily through the Kisan Samman Nidhi, directly in their bank accounts.

The survey also found that 69 per cent of marginal farmers confirmed the absence of cold storage facilities within 10 km radius of their village, while 15 per cent had access to a cold storage facility within the same radius but had never used it.

Nearly half of the marginal farmers interviewed confirmed the availability of outlets within 10 km of their village from which they could procure subsidized seeds and fertilizers. Furthermore, 27 per cent of the marginal farmers who participated in the survey confirmed that someone in their household had accessed bank loans in the past.

In conclusion, the study advocated a two-pronged strategy for water in agriculture. It suggested buffering of water during the monsoon season in reservoirs, and the recharge of groundwater through check dams and watersheds, among other strategies.

Additionally, it advocated more rational allocation and efficient use of water across crops.


Govt to buy 2 millet varieties from MP at MSP

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday announced that the Centre would soon start procurement of kodo and kutki (two millet varieties produced in the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh) at a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 4,290 per quintal. He also announced that the process of purchasing summer moong will be started soon in the state. The announcements were made after his meeting with MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.