Defining who qualifies as a farmer in India is complex, with no single, universally accepted definition all over India. The definition significantly impacts access to government schemes, subsidies, and support programs.
The National Policy for Farmers, formulated by the
National Commission of Farmers (headed by M.S. Swaminathan) and approved in
2007, provides a comprehensive definition.
According to this policy, a "FARMER" is a
person actively involved in the economic or livelihood activity of growing
crops and producing other primary agricultural commodities. This includes
a wide range of individuals:
However, this comprehensive definition has not
been consistently adopted in practice.
- Agricultural
operational holders
- Cultivators
- Agricultural
laborer's
- Sharecroppers
- Tenants
- Poultry
and livestock readers
- Fishers
- Beekeepers
- Gardeners
- Pastoralists
- Non-corporate
planters and planting labourers
- Those
engaged in farming-related occupations (sericulture, vermiculture,
agro-forestry)
- Tribal
families/persons engaged in shifting cultivation and the collection, use,
and sale of forest produce.
In practice, the definition often hinges on land
ownership, which excludes many who work the land but do not own it. This
creates significant challenges:
Exclusion of Landless Farmers: The definition often
excludes the 12.5 million landless farmers who cultivate leased land,
marginalizing a vulnerable group.
Limited Access to Benefits: Those excluded from
the definition may not receive agricultural credit, interest subvention on farm
loans, crop insurance, or loan waivers. They may also face difficulties
accessing subsidized inputs and compensation for crop failures.
Impact on Women Farmers: Linking farmer
identity to land ownership has negative consequences for women farmers, who
often do not have their names on land ownership documents, despite being the
primary cultivators in many cases.
The government's ambiguity on the definition has
serious implications for the design and beneficiaries of schemes meant to help
farmers, including the PM-KISAN scheme.
The number of farmers in India varies depending on
the definition used.
Estimates range from 37 million to 118 million, based on different criteria. The
Agriculture Census (2015-16) and the PM-KISAN scheme define a farmer as anyone
who owns a farm, which results in an estimated 110 million to 146.5 million
farmers.
The definition of a farmer is not merely a
semantic issue but has practical implications for policy and support. There is
a need to convert the M.S. Swaminathan Commission’s definition into a legal and
actionable tool for identification.