Question 80 from UPSC CSE 2023 - Economics

Question

Which one of the following best describes the concept of 'Small Farmer Large Field'?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. Many marginal farmers in an area organize themselves into groups and synchronize and harmonize selected agricultural operations

Strategy: The 'Small Farmer Large Field' (SFLF) strategy aims to achieve scale efficiency for marginal farmers without actual land consolidation. This involves farmers collaborating to harmonize their agricultural tasks, thereby securing collective benefits. The approach specifically excludes options that require surrendering land, entering corporate contracts, or collectivization through resettlement.

Key Info: ## Small Farmer Large Field (SFLF) Model

The Small Farmer Large Field (SFLF) model is an innovative approach designed to help small and marginal farmers achieve economies of scale while retaining individual land ownership. It addresses the challenges faced by farmers with small, fragmented landholdings in regions like India, which often result in high input costs, limited bargaining power, and restricted market access.

### How it Works
SFLF encourages farmers within a contiguous area to form participatory groups. These groups coordinate and harmonize specific farming operations, including:
*   Nursery management
*   Sowing and transplanting
*   Harvesting
*   Collective input procurement
*   Collective produce marketing

### Benefits and Distinctions
This synchronization enables farmers to significantly reduce costs, access better input prices, strengthen their negotiation position with buyers, and ultimately improve overall productivity.

The SFLF approach is distinct from:
*   **Land Collectivization:** Farmers retain full legal rights and ownership of their land.
*   **Corporate Contract Farming:** Collaboration is voluntary, without external compulsion.
*   **Resettlement Schemes:** No relocation or surrender of land is involved.

### Impact and Examples
The model was successfully piloted in Odisha, where participating farmers reported gains in efficiency, profitability, timeliness of operations, and enhanced social cohesion within the community. SFLF builds on the principle that operational cooperation can deliver many of the advantages of large-scale farming, even across numerous small, individually owned land parcels. While similar to Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), SFLF's core focus is on synchronized in-field operations rather than just broader aggregation for marketing or input purchases.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: Resettlement of a large number of people, uprooted from their land, to a large cultivable land which they cultivate collectively and share the produce

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: Many marginal farmers in an area together make a contract with a corporate body and surrender their land to the corporate body for a fixed term for which the corporate body makes a payment of agreed amount to the farmers

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: A company extends loans, technical knowledge, and material inputs to a number of small farmers in an area so that they produce the agricultural commodity required by the company for its manufacturing process and commercial production