Less than 25 per cent of India’s marginal farmers are active members of agricultural cooperatives, even though they constitute nearly 60–70 per cent of agricultural households, according to a new study quoted by Down To Earth.
The Forum of Enterprises for Equitable Development report, released on Kisan Diwas, found especially low participation in Bihar, Tripura and Himachal Pradesh.
While Primary Agricultural Credit Societies remain the closest institutional support system for farmers, structural barriers, social exclusion and limited digital access continue to keep marginal cultivators out.
The report noted that farmers linked to cooperatives reported better income, livelihood security and access to credit, underlining the urgent need to make cooperatives more inclusive.