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Non-Farm Jobs and Farm Labour Efficiency: Study Findings

15 April 20251 min read
AGRICULTURE & RURALNon-Farm Jobsand Farm LabourEfficiency: StudyFindings15 April 2025safalsetu.com

Why in the news

Researchers found that farmers who hold other jobs or migrate for work run their farms more efficiently.

Study design

ItemDetail
DatasetICRISAT Village Dynamics in South Asia, covering eight states including Odisha, Bihar and Karnataka
MethodData Envelopment Analysis

Benefits of multiple job holding

  • Returnees bring new farming knowledge and modern techniques.
  • Family or hired labour covers farm work meanwhile; idle time between seasons falls.
  • Extra income funds technology and helps manage climate and price risks.

Way forward

  • Promote structured non-farm jobs in rural areas.
  • Ease credit limits for small farmers’ secondary occupations.
  • Treat migration as skill building.

Test yourself

1. The study on non-farm jobs and farm labour efficiency drew on which dataset?

The data came from ICRISAT's Village Dynamics in South Asia (2010-2014).

2. Which technique did the NLSIU and IIT-Madras study use to assess labour use efficiency of farm operators?

Data Envelopment Analysis measured labour efficiency.

3. Which policy step does the study recommend for small farmers wanting secondary occupations?

It urges easing credit constraints for small farmers.