‘Land-holding farmers doing non-farming activity helps efficiency’

• A study by Anviksha Drall and Sabuj Kumar Mandal found that non-farming activities improve labor efficiency on farms.

• The study used data from the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) of farmers from states like Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh from 2010 to 2014.

• The study used data envelopment analysis to estimate labour use efficiency.

• The researchers found that farmers who migrated gained new knowledge about farm practices and applied these to their farms upon return.

• The study recommends promoting structured non-farm employment opportunities in rural areas to maximize positive spillover effects on farming.

• The study suggests that farmers should diversify into non-farming activities to invest in new farming practices and improve labour efficiency.

• The researchers suggest that governments should help farmers diversify into non-farming activity.