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**The Hindu: September 14, 2025**

**Farm Size Not Key to Productivity in India’s Semi-Arid Regions, Finds New Study**

**Mumbai:** A new study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT Bombay), and the University of Hyderabad challenges the long-held belief that smaller farms are inherently more productive in India’s semi-arid tropics. The research, published today, indicates that access to inputs, credit, and markets plays a significantly larger role in determining agricultural output in these regions.

The study, which analyzed data spanning from 1975 to 2014, found that while smaller farms initially exhibited higher productivity due to more intensive family labor and fertilizer use, this advantage has diminished over time. Researchers used data from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), tracking farming households across multiple decades in Akola, Solapur, and Mahabubnagar.

“Our findings demonstrate that the inverse relationship between farm size and productivity was never as strong as previously assumed in these regions,” said Professor Sarthak Gaurav from IIT Bombay, a co-author of the study. “And as agrarian distress continues, the initial productivity edge of small farms has faded.”

The study suggests the focus should shift towards empowering smallholders by improving their access to essential resources. Researchers are recommending prioritising the improvements in smallholders’ collective capacity to access markets and inputs, as well as supporting them in forming collectives or producer groups to pool resources, adopt agroecological practices, and negotiate better prices.

“Smallholders remain crucial for food security and rural stability,” Professor Gaurav added. “However, they are increasingly vulnerable. By strengthening their access to technologies, credit, and extension services, we can bolster their resilience and productivity.”

The researchers emphasize that this revised understanding of agricultural productivity is crucial for developing more effective and targeted policies to support farmers in semi-arid regions of India, particularly as they face challenges like monocropping and rising input costs.

**Categories:** IIT, Mumbai, Agriculture, Farms, Research.

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