Commercialising Indian Agriculture through Farmer-Producer Organizations: A Critical Review

Abstract Subject and Purpose of the Work This study seeks to address three core questions: the current status of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in India based on empirical evidence, the state of academic literature on FPOs, and potential directions for future research. Materials and Methods A systematic review was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines. An initial pool of 250 peer-reviewed articles was retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion criteria-empirical focus, Indian context, and English language-a final set of 140 articles was selected for analysis. Results Findings indicate that FPOs are crucial institutional mechanisms for smallholder farmers, nearly 89.4 percent of whom operate holdings below two hectares. They enhance access to inputs, markets, credit, and capacity-building opportunities, resulting in higher farm incomes, reduced transaction costs, and greater bargaining power. Conclusion FPOs significantly promote agricultural commercialization and rural livelihoods. However, their long-term sustainability requires sound governance, financial resilience, and supportive policy environments. Future research should prioritize longitudinal and region-specific studies, particularly in underrepresented hilly and horticultural areas, to assess enduring impacts on farmer resilience.