COLLECTIVE ACTION AND EMPOWERMENT: EVALUATING FARMER PRODUCER ORGANISATIONS IN THE RICE BOWL OF CENTRAL INDIA

Dipti Baghel; Archi Dubey

doi:10.29121/ShodhPrabandhan.v3.i2.2026.96

Authors

Dr. Dipti Baghel Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, Dr. K.C. Baghel Government P.G College, Bhilai-3, Chhattisgarh, India Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1512-7288
Dr. Archi Dubey Assistant Professor and Head, Faculty of Management Studies, The ICFAI University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/ShodhPrabandhan.v3.i2.2026.96

Keywords:

Farmer Producer Organisations, Chhattisgarh, Agricultural Empowerment, Smallholder Farmers, Exploratory Factor Analysis, Market Linkage, Spss, Rural Development

Abstract

Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) have emerged as a pivotal institutional mechanism for agrarian transformation in India, enabling smallholder farmers to collectively access markets, credit, technology, and value-chain integration. Despite significant policy emphasis at the national level, empirical evidence on the functional status, perceived benefits, and structural challenges of FPOs in the tribal-agrarian landscape of Chhattisgarh remains sparse. This study investigates the status of FPOs in Chhattisgarh, identifies the opportunities available for member farmers, and delineates strategic interventions necessary for their empowerment. A multi-stage random sampling procedure was employed to survey 385 farmer-members across five purposively selected districts — Raipur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Bastar, and Surguja. Structured questionnaires incorporating five-point Likert-scale items were administered, and data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics v.26. Statistical tools included descriptive analysis, reliability testing (Cronbach's alpha), exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with principal component extraction, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA with Tukey's HSD post-hoc comparison, and multiple linear regression. Cronbach's alpha for composite scales ranged from 0.791 to 0.863, confirming adequate internal consistency. EFA yielded four latent constructs — Institutional Support, Market Linkage, Financial Inclusion, and Capacity Building — explaining 62.34% of cumulative variance. Regression analysis revealed that market linkage (β = 0.387, p < .001) and institutional support (β = 0.312, p < .001) were the strongest predictors of farmer empowerment. ANOVA indicated statistically significant income differentials across FPO membership tenure groups (F(3, 381) = 14.72, p < .001, η² = 0.104). Findings underscore systemic deficits in governance transparency, professional management, and last-mile digital infrastructure as barriers to optimal FPO performance. The study recommends a Chhattisgarh-specific FPO Acceleration Framework comprising cluster-based business planning, gender-inclusive governance mandates, digital market platform integration, and dedicated concessional financing windows.

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