80% of India’s Marginal Farmers Face Crop Losses Due to Climate Events

New Delhi: A report released on Tuesday by the Forum of Enterprises for Equitable Development (FEED) and the Development Intelligence Unit (DIU) reveals that 80% of marginal farmers in India have experienced crop losses due to adverse climatic events over the past five years. The survey included 6,615 farmers across 21 states and identified drought (41%), irregular rainfall (32%), and monsoon timing issues (24%) as primary causes of crop damage. Nearly 43% of these farmers lost at least half of their standing crops, with rice, vegetables, and pulses being particularly affected.
The report also highlights the impact of temperature variability, noting that early heat waves reduced wheat production, prompting export bans. It predicts significant declines in rice and maize production with temperature increases of 1 to 4 degrees Celsius. Marginal farmers, who make up 68.5% of India’s agricultural sector but own only 24% of crop area, face significant challenges.
Despite support from the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, only 35% of these farmers have crop insurance, and 25% receive timely financial credit. Although two-thirds have adopted climate-resilient practices, 76% face obstacles such as lack of credit, resources, and knowledge. Limited use of cold storage (15%) and custom hiring centers (22%) further complicates their situation.
Sanjeev Chopra, Chairperson of FEED, emphasized the urgent need for climate-resilient agricultural practices, diversified livelihoods, and improved access to financial services and technical advice to combat the ongoing climate crisis.