Small and Marginal Farmers’ Participation in Potato Contract Farming in West Bengal, India

Abstract

There are ongoing discourses on contract farming across the world. Contract farming is an issue of serious concern in India today, among farmers as well as policymakers. Such farming among small and marginal farmers, who are facing several problems in agriculture, requires special attention. Considering the large presence of small and marginal farmers and PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay model of potato contract farming in the state of West Bengal, which is India’s second largest producer of potatoes, a study is imperative from the perspective of small and marginal farmers and their participation in potato contract farming. The present paper discusses the nature and extent of participation of small and marginal farmers in potato contract farming in the state. Although participation is qualitative and interpretative in nature, the study considers the attributes which are mainly quantitative or measurable. In order to understand the nature and extent of the participation of small and marginal farmers in contract farming, the study also focuses on the participation of other stakeholders such as vendors and non-marginal and small farmers, and a comparison of socioeconomic conditions between the contract and non-contract farmers is undertaken.