IIT Bombay researchers find smaller farms more productive than larger ones

mumbai: smaller agricultural farms are generally more productive than larger ones in terms of yield per acre, researchers at the indian institute of technology (iit) bombay have found.the study used village-level data from the hyderabad-based international crops research institute for the semi-arid tropics (icrisat), spanning four decades from 1975 to 2014.“the relationship between farm size and productivity in the developing world has been debated for decades. our findings show smallholders remain crucial for food security and rural stability, but they are increasingly vulnerable due to monocropping and high input costs,” said prof sarthak gaurav from iit bombay's shailesh j mehta school of management, a co-author of the study.the research, conducted by iit bombay and the university of hyderabad, found small farms more productive, especially in the early years (1975-84). earlier studies suggested the “inverse relationship” was due to intensive family labour and higher fertiliser use per unit on small plots.however, the new study revealed that once labour and fertiliser inputs were controlled for, the productivity edge of small farms was statistically insignificant. both labour and non-labour inputs such as seeds, fertilisers and machinery showed strong positive links with land productivity, the researchers noted.the study said the inverse pattern has weakened but not reversed, even with mechanisation and market access. by 2014, productivity showed an insignificant positive correlation with larger farms.with nearly half of india's farmers owning less than two hectares, the findings have implications for food security, poverty alleviation, sustainability and land reforms.“there is a need to strengthen smallholders' collective capacity to access markets and inputs. organising them into producer groups can help pool resources, adopt agroecological practices and negotiate better prices,” gaurav said.