Rethinking Farmers' Self-Reliance: A regional exploration of cultivation in India

This study analyses the income from cultivation, consumption expenditures, and saving habits of farmers and uses econometric estimation with a Probit regression model to understand the self-reliance of Indian farmers across regions. The study finds significant regional differences in farmers' cultivation income and an alarming trend of negative savings, which implies a heavy reliance on non-farm income for sustenance. The estimated econometric results validate that marginal and small farmers, as well as farmers in Eastern and Northern regions, are significantly less likely to be self-sufficient in cultivation.