Tenancy Farming and Policy Interventions: A Study In Odisha

Abstract

Tenancy farming and sharecropping constitute essential yet often neglected facets of Indian agriculture. A significant portion of agriculture in Odisha is done by landless and marginal farmers via leasing or sharecropping arrangements. Despite their contribution, these farmers remain excluded from institutional loans, crop insurance, procurement systems, and welfare programs owing to the lack of permanent land titles. This article examines Odisha's tenancy policy framework and the consequences of reforms through a mixedmethod approach, incorporating policy analysis, secondary data, workshop contributions, and field investigations. It juxtaposes the viewpoints of tenant farmers with changing legislative measures to underscore advancements and enduring disparities. The research analyses the 2016 Model Land Leasing Act and state measures like KALIA, BALARAM, and reforms in paddy procurement. Evidence from Ratanpur, Niali Block, Cuttack, indicates that although Odisha has implemented novel credit and welfare mechanisms, institutional impediments, especially informal tenancy and insufficient understanding of schemes, persistently hinder inclusion.