Mapping agricultural constraints: Nationwide demand-driven research, extension and policy perspectives

RAJBIR  SINGH; ARVIND  KUMAR; SURJYA KANTA  ROY; PREETI  YADAV; RANJAY K  SINGH; SANJIT  MAITI; R ROY  BURMAN

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i8.177572

Authors

RAJBIR SINGH Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhawan-1, New Delhi 110 012, India
ARVIND KUMAR Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhawan-1, New Delhi 110 012, India
SURJYA KANTA ROY ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
PREETI YADAV ICAR- Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
RANJAY K SINGH Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhawan-1, New Delhi 110 012, India
SANJIT MAITI ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132001, India
R ROY BURMAN Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhawan-1, New Delhi 110 012, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i8.177572

Keywords:

Agriculture & allied Sectors, Climate change, Farmer perceived constraints, Focus group discussion, Participatory mapping

Abstract

Translating farmer knowledge into actionable agricultural policy remains a key challenge in agricultural governance. This study develops and operationalises a participatory diagnostic framework to generate structured policy-relevant agricultural intelligence. Using data from the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA) conducted during 2025 across India, a total of 11,477 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were held across 448 districts in 34 states and Union Territories (UTs), engaging 1,63,650 farmers including 55,250 farm women. Farmer-identified issues were grouped into 20 thematic domains and validated through severity scoring by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) scientists using a standardised 10-point scale. Comparative analysis was conducted across four state typologies- large, medium, small states/UTs and north-eastern states. Findings showed strong convergence around three foundational constraints: seed system inefficiencies, climate variability and water management challenges, alongside region-specific priorities in mechanisation, horticulture and crop-livestock integration. The proposed framework strengthens the Research- Extension-Policy (REP) interface by institutionalising farmer knowledge within scientific validation and policy translation processes, offering a scalable model for adaptive, regionally differentiated agricultural strategies aimed at enhancing resilience, productivity and sustainability.

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