In India, a farmer is officially defined as an individual who owns agricultural land, irrespective of whether farming is their primary source of income. This definition is utilized in significant government schemes like the Agriculture Census and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan).
According to this definition, India is home to approximately 110-146.5 million farmers, showcasing the vast scale of the agricultural workforce in the country.
Landless farmers, who cultivate land on a lease basis but do not possess ownership, are often excluded from official recognition. Since ownership is a primary criterion for eligibility in several government schemes, these farmers face significant challenges in accessing benefits.
India has around 12.5 million tenanted farmers who are actively involved in cultivation but lack legal ownership of the land they farm.
This restrictive definition limits access to crucial government subsidies, insurance schemes, and various welfare programs, thereby excluding landless tenant farmers from essential support.
About 20.7% of rural households depend entirely on agriculture, while 42.4% engage in agricultural activities without complete reliance on them for their livelihood.
The proportion of households engaged in full-time agriculture has seen a decline due to economic diversification and the rise of non-farm employment opportunities, leading many rural households to generate significant income from alternative activities.
Despite some advancements in earnings and asset accumulation, full-time agricultural households continue to grapple with high expenses, escalating debt levels, and the complexities of managing small and fragmented landholdings.
Without a more inclusive definition of “farmer,” government policies may fail to reach the most vulnerable groups, particularly tenant farmers and other marginalized rural workers, limiting the overall effectiveness of agricultural support initiatives.
As agricultural households are expected to diversify their income sources further, there is an increasing need for policies that address the evolving realities of rural livelihoods, ensuring equitable access to resources and support.
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