Marginal farmers, who make up nearly 60–70 per cent of India’s agricultural households, remain the most vulnerable segment of the farm economy, according to the “State of Marginal Farmers in India 2025” report by the Forum of Enterprises for Equitable Development
A report, “State of Marginal Farmers in India 2025”, calls for a contemplative pause to acknowledge agrarian struggles from the margins. It also issues a call to modernise governance, integrate value chains, and reimagine cooperative structures to make them more inclusive.
The report was launched by the Forum of Enterprises for Equitable Development (FEED) to mark Kisan Diwas on December 23. It is based on surveys fonducted across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tripura, and Uttarakhand.
A media statement said that marginal farmers constitute nearly 60-70 per cent of India’s agricultural households, yet remain the most vulnerable segment of the agricultural economy. Less than 25 per cent of marginal farmers surveyed in the FEED report are active members of agricultural cooperatives. They remain more dependent on informal markets, see slower income growth, and are more vulnerable to climate and market shocks, it said.
Evolving role of PACs
Mentioning that cooperatives work when access exists, the report said that around 45 per cent of cooperative-linked marginal farmers reported an increase in household income, and about 42 per cent reported improvements in crop yields.
On the evolving role of primary agricultural credit societies (PACS), the report said PACS are increasingly functioning as broader rural service hubs, rather than just credit providers. Across states, PACS are supporting input supply enabling procurement and marketing, distributing essential commodities through the public distribution system, and facilitating access to digital and public services. States where PACS operate as integrated service centres tend to see better outcomes for marginal farmers, it said.
Digital divide
On digital adoption and gaps, the report said that digital adoption remains limited in Bihar and Tripura, and its impact is informational rather than transformational. Digital tools need to be backed by sustained training, handholding, and integration into core cooperative workflows.
In Tripura, 77.8 per cent of cooperatives report not using any digital tools at all, while 25 per cent of cooperatives in Bihar report no digital tool usage, it said, adding that limited digital skills, especially among women and older farmers, continue to restrict the benefits of digitisation.
Regarding gender and leadership gaps, the report said cooperatives remain largely male-dominated, particularly in leadership and decision-making roles. Although 21.25 lakh women are registered as cooperative members, only 3,355 women serve as directors on cooperative boards nationwide.
Published on December 24, 2025
