BRIDGING TECHNOLOGY AND TRADITION: THE ROLE OF FPOS IN ENHANCING AGRI-RESILIENCE IN MAHARASHTRA’S VIDARBHA

In India, the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra has long exemplified agrarian distress, marked by recurrent droughts, rainfall variability, and groundwater depletion. Structural barriers to resilience persist. India’s collectivization policy, scaled through the 10,000 FPO strategy, aims to consolidate smallholders, enhance bargaining power, and create new avenues for risk-sharing. However, there is limited empirical evidence on whether FPOs actually strengthen resilience. This paper examines the role of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in enhancing agricultural resilience. The resilience metric employed is the Agricultural Resilience Index (ARI). Market resilience is assessed via crop output variability and mandi price fluctuations, while climate and resource resilience are evaluated using rainfall anomalies. Methodologically, we integrate quantitative panel econometrics with qualitative insights. Composite indices are used within the ARI framework. We apply models to test whether increased FPO penetration is associated with improved resilience. These statistical findings are complemented with case narratives from selected FPOs, illustrating how traditional practices are being embedded within new institutional and technological frameworks. Preliminary results show that districts with stronger FPO presence experience lower output volatility, higher policy adoption, and better price stabilization. Cotton-intensive districts show more significant improvements in market resilience. Our analysis demonstrates that resilience extends beyond technological adoption—it is also rooted in traditional collective practices. The study makes three major contributions. First, it provides one of the earliest district-level assessments of FPO impact in the region. Second, the index integrates climatic, market, financial, and institutional dimensions. Finally, it shows that FPOs can act as a bridge between local traditions and emerging digital and policy infrastructures in sustainable agricultural transformation. Policy implications include the need to build capacity for younger FPOs, align crop insurance schemes with collective marketing, and design region-specific resilience strategies. This study contributes to broader discussions on rural transformation, sustainable livelihoods, and the evolving role of collectivization in Indian agriculture.