A recent study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT Bombay) and the University of Hyderabad has revealed that farm size is not the main driver of productivity in India’s semi-arid tropical regions. Instead, access to essential resources like inputs, credit, and markets plays a much bigger role.
The study analysed data spanning 40 years, from 1975 to 2014, looking at farming practices across three different periods. It used valuable data from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), which tracks farming households over decades in regions like Akola, Solapur, and Mahabubnagar.
Historically, it was often believed that smaller farms were more productive than larger ones. This was thought to be because small farms used family labour more intensively and applied fertilisers more carefully per unit of land. The study acknowledges this trend, especially in the earlier years (1975-1984), where small farms did show a productivity advantage. However, the research indicates that this advantage was never as significant as previously assumed, even back then.
As time went on, and especially during the later period of the study (2009-2014), the productivity gap between small and large farms narrowed. This suggests that the challenges faced by farmers in these semi-arid regions, often referred to as agrarian distress, have impacted the productivity advantage of smaller landholdings.
Professor Sarthak Gaurav from IIT Bombay, one of the study’s authors, highlighted the importance of smallholder farmers for food security and rural stability. He pointed out that these farmers are becoming increasingly vulnerable due to practices like growing only one type of crop (monocropping) and facing high costs for farming inputs. To help them, Professor Gaurav stressed the need for better access to modern technologies, affordable loans, and effective agricultural advice services.
The study’s main conclusion is that the relationship between the size of a farm and its productivity is complex. It depends heavily on the specific local conditions and is much less straightforward than many had believed. The traditional idea that productivity automatically decreases as farm size increases does not hold true as strongly in these parts of India.
To improve the situation for small farmers, the researchers recommend focusing on ways they can collectively access farming supplies and sell their produce. They suggest encouraging smallholders to form groups or cooperatives. This would allow them to share resources, adopt farming methods that are better for the environment (agroecological practices), and gain more power when negotiating prices for their crops.
In summary, while small farms still play a crucial role, their success is more tied to their ability to access external support and resources rather than simply their land size. Investing in infrastructure, credit facilities, and knowledge sharing will be key to strengthening the resilience and productivity of these vital agricultural communities.
