Under the plan, states will be mandated to conduct quarterly meetings with farmers and other stakeholders, including panchayat representatives, at the block, district and state levels to assess whether central schemes meant for farmers are being implemented effectively, two officials aware of the matter said on condition of anonymity.
The agriculture ministry’s plan assumes significance as it seeks to bridge the gap between policy formulation and implementation and ensure that farmers not only get the full benefits of central and state schemes but also understand them better.
Agricultural feedback
By creating a regular feedback and review mechanism, the government aims to raise farmers’ awareness of available support programs, address their grievances in a timely manner, and encourage them to adopt improved and sustainable farming practices.
According to the first official, there is an urgent need to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation system to ensure that government schemes and programs effectively reach farmers – especially small and marginal – hence the framework is being proposed.
Queries sent to the Union Ministry of Agriculture remained unanswered till press time.
Agriculture remains the backbone of India’s economy, employing nearly half the population and contributing about 18% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). There are more than 27 farmer-oriented schemes run by the Union Ministry of Agriculture, including central sector schemes (fully funded by the Centre) and centrally sponsored schemes (jointly funded by the Center and states). Some of the popular schemes include Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Establishment and Promotion of New FPOs, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM).
“Small and marginal farmers are often unaware of government programs due to lack of access to information and low literacy levels. Moreover, complicated application procedures and language barriers discourage participation. As a result, they miss out on the benefits of various agricultural and financial assistance programs,” said Umendra Dutt, executive director of the Kheti Virasat Mission, a non-profit organization dedicated to by supporting natural agriculture.
Many government benefits either remain unused or do not reach the intended beneficiaries. “Through effective monitoring and evaluation, real-time data collection and feedback at the local level can be ensured, which is vital for designing effective policy interventions,” said the second official quoted earlier.
“As we are a farmers’ organization (FPO) with 300 farmers affiliated to us and registered with the horticulture ministry, it is relatively easy to disseminate information about government schemes and programmes. However, it is very difficult for individual farmers to access this information,” said Anuraaj Singh, managing director of Pehowa Vegetable Producer Company Ltd, an FPO operating in Haryana.
“Such a mechanism could make a real difference to farmers like us,” said Bajirao Gagare, an onion grower in Maharashtra. “If the government and officials communicate with us more often, it will not only help us solve our problems faster but also make us more aware of the programs that are meant for us. It can motivate farmers to try new practices, improve crop quality and ensure better yields in the future,” said Gagare, who heads the farmers’ group ‘Hi Maitri Vicharanchi’ on social media.
The proposed monitoring system is also expected to empower farmers by increasing transparency and enabling them to understand and claim their legitimate claims. As the government continues to roll out new schemes, stakeholders are calling for integrated, technology-based M&E systems that can provide timely information and improve outcomes on the ground.
“Agricultural extension services need to be strengthened to ensure that information about government schemes and programs effectively reaches farmers and is properly implemented. Without active and effective extension services, the benefits of these programs often do not reach the intended beneficiaries,” said RS Ghuman, former faculty member at the Center for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) and currently a professor Eminence at Guru Nanab Dev University.
Growth of food grains
India is set to see a sharp increase in food grain production in 2024-25, boosted by a good monsoon, higher acreage and better access to inputs such as seeds, fertilizers and irrigation. According to the third advance estimate released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in May 2025, total food grain production is pegged at around 353.9 million tonnes (mt), compared to 332.3 million tonnes in 2023–24.
Rice production is estimated at 149 mt, while wheat production is expected to reach 117.5 mt.
The government attributes this broad-based growth to better implementation of crop management programmes, expansion of irrigation facilities and timely availability of quality inputs under various central and state schemes.
The government has set a target of around 362.5 million tonnes of food grain production for the 2025-26 financial year, banking on continued favorable weather conditions and higher productivity.
