The Farmers First Initiative (Farmer FIRST – Farm, Innovations, Resources, Science and Technology) is a major programme launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 2016 under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. The programme marks an important change in the way agricultural research and extension work in India.
Instead of following a top-down approach, it places farmers at the centre of decision-making and innovation. The initiative goes beyond the goal of increasing crop production and recognises the real challenges faced by Indian farmers, especially small and marginal farmers.
By strengthening direct interaction between farmers and scientists, Farmers First aims to develop practical, location-specific, and sustainable agricultural solutions that improve farm income and livelihood security.
What is the Farmers First Initiative?
The Farmers First Initiative, officially known as Farmer FIRST (Farm, Innovations, Resources, Science and Technology), is a flagship programme of ICAR, launched in 2016 under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
The core idea is simple but powerful: Farmers come first in agricultural research, decision-making, and technology adoption.
Instead of focusing only on increasing production and productivity, the programme addresses the complex, diverse, and risk-prone realities of Indian agriculture, especially for small and marginal farmers. Under this initiative, farmers actively participate in:
- Identifying problems
- Setting research priorities
- Testing technologies
- Providing continuous feedback
- Managing experiments on their own fields
Why was the Farmers First Initiative needed?
Indian agriculture has changed dramatically over the years.
Landholdings are shrinking.
Climate risks are rising.
Markets are unpredictable.
Migration from rural areas is increasing.
At the same time, a gap emerged between:
- Technologies developed by research institutions, and
- Actual needs of farmers on the ground
Many innovations failed to reach farmers or were unsuitable for their socio-economic conditions.
Key challenges that led to Farmers First:
The Farmers First Initiative was designed to bridge the below mentioned gap.
- Limited farmer participation in research planning
- Weak feedback loops between farmers and scientists
- Lack of demand-driven research
- Poor integration of technology, markets, and livelihoods
- Under-recognition of women farmers’ contribution
What does “FIRST” stand for in Farmers First?
The term FIRST expands to:
F – Farm
I – Innovations
R – Resources
S – Science
T – Technology
This framework integrates:
- Farmers’ traditional knowledge
- Scientific research from NARS institutions
- Efficient use of natural resources
- Modern technologies
- Market and value-chain perspectives
The focus is not on isolated solutions but on holistic farming systems.
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How is Farmers First different from traditional extension approaches?
Traditional agricultural extension followed a lab-to-land model. Farmers First follows a field-to-lab-and-back approach.
| Traditional Model | Farmers First Model |
| Scientist-led | Farmer-led |
| One-way transfer | Two-way interaction |
| Technology-driven | Demand-driven |
| Limited feedback | Continuous feedback |
| Uniform solutions | Location-specific solutions |
This shift makes agricultural research more practical, adoptable, and inclusive.
What are the main objectives of the Farmers First Initiative?
The programme aims to create sustainable livelihoods, not just higher yields.
- Strengthening the farmer–scientist interface
- Developing adoptable and farmer-friendly technologies
- Improving resource use efficiency
- Enhancing farm income and livelihood security
- Promoting climate-resilient agriculture
- Empowering farm women
- Institutionalising the Farmer FIRST process for long-term impact
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How does the initiative strengthen the farmer–scientist interface?
One of the strongest pillars of Farmers First is continuous interaction between farmers and scientists.
- Regular field visits by scientists
- On-farm trials conducted on farmers’ fields
- Joint problem identification and prioritisation
- Open discussions on technology performance
- Farmer feedback shaping future research
Scientists spend at least 25% of their time on farm and farmer-oriented activities. This ensures that research remains grounded in real farm conditions.
How are technologies developed and tested under Farmers First?
Technology development under Farmers First is participatory. The process involves:
- Identifying local farm problems
- Prioritising issues with farmer participation
- Testing technologies on actual farms
- Refining technologies based on feedback
- Integrating multiple components into practical modules
The focus is on:
- Low-cost
- Eco-friendly
- Resource-efficient
- Economically viable
- Socially acceptable solutions
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What role does innovation play in the Farmers First Initiative?
Innovation under Farmers First is not limited to laboratories.
It includes:
- Farmer-led innovations
- Indigenous technical knowledge
- Process innovations
- Institutional innovations
- Market and value-chain innovations
Innovations from:
- NARS scientists
- Progressive farmers
- Women farmers
- Local communities
are validated, integrated, and scaled up.
How does Farmers First support small and marginal farmers?
Small, marginal, and landless farmers form the backbone of Indian food security. Farmers First specifically focuses on:
- Household-specific technology modules
- Integrated farming systems
- Livelihood diversification
- Risk reduction strategies
By addressing local realities, the programme helps:
- Reduce distress sales
- Improve bargaining power
- Enhance income stability
How does the programme empower farm women?
Women play a vital role in Indian agriculture through their active involvement in on-farm operations, harvesting, post-harvest management, livestock rearing, horticulture activities, and ensuring household food security and savings. Recognising this significant contribution, the Farmers First Initiative includes special modules for farm women that focus on reducing drudgery, improving skills, promoting income-generating activities, and enhancing access to knowledge and resources. These targeted interventions help increase women’s participation in agriculture, improve their earnings, and strengthen livelihood security at the household level.
What is the role of integrated farming systems (IFS)?
Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) are a key focus area.
IFS promotes:
- Crop diversification
- Horticulture
- Livestock
- Fisheries
- Mushroom cultivation
benefits of IFS include:
- Better nutrition
- Income resilience
- Efficient resource recycling
- Reduced climate risk
Farmers First promotes IFS models tailored to local agro-ecological conditions.
How does Farmers First build partnerships and networks?
Modern agriculture requires multi-stakeholder collaboration. The programme builds networks involving:
- ICAR institutes
- Agricultural universities
- KVKs
- ATARIs
- Line departments
- Private agencies
- Farmer organisations
These networks improve access to:
- Information
- Inputs
- Technology
- Markets
Which institutions implement the Farmers First Initiative?
The programme is implemented across India through:
- 93 ICAR institutes
- 20 State Agricultural Universities (SAUs)
- 1 Central Agricultural University (CAU)
- KVKs and ATARIs
Specialised institutions like:
- NAARM
- NCAP
- IASRI
- DKMA
support monitoring, evaluation, database creation, and impact assessment.
What are the major milestones of the programme?
Key milestones include:
- Working with 1,000 farm families per location
- Covering 2–4 villages per project
- Development of technology modules
- Capacity building of farmers
- Creation of databases and rural institutions
- Germplasm collection and characterisation
- Strengthened NARS–farmer linkage
What is the impact of the Farmers First Initiative?
The programme aims for measurable outcomes, such as:
- Improved adoption of technologies
- Higher farm income
- Better resource management
- Reduced migration
- Increased interest in agriculture as a profession
- Stronger rural institutions
Why is the Farmers First Initiative important for India’s future?
Indian agriculture faces challenges of:
- Climate change
- Food security
- Youth migration
- Market volatility
The Farmers First Initiative addresses these by:
- Making farmers partners, not recipients
- Creating demand-driven research
- Promoting sustainable practices
- Strengthening rural livelihoods
It represents a future-ready agricultural model.
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Questions on the Farmers First Initiative Programme
Q1. What is the primary objective of including special modules for women under the Farmers First Initiative?
A. To increase export of agricultural products
B. To reduce women’s role in traditional farming
C. To reduce drudgery and enhance income and livelihood security
D. To replace manual labour with machines only
E. To focus only on crop production
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Explanation: The Farmers First Initiative recognises the major contribution of farm women in agriculture. Special modules are designed to reduce physical drudgery, improve skills, promote income-generating activities, and ensure livelihood security. The focus is not limited to production but extends to empowerment and economic stability.
Q2. Which of the following agricultural activities involves significant participation of farm women?
A. Policy formulation only
B. On-farm operations and post-harvest management
C. Export marketing only
D. Large-scale mechanised farming only
E. International trade negotiations
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Explanation: Farm women actively participate in on-farm operations, harvesting, post-harvest management, livestock rearing, and horticulture. Their role is crucial at both production and household levels, making them key stakeholders in agricultural development.
Q3. Under the Farmers First Initiative, women-focused interventions mainly aim to improve which of the following?
A. Crop variety development
B. Livestock vaccination schedules
C. Participation, earnings, and livelihood security
D. Land ownership laws
E. Irrigation infrastructure
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Explanation: Women-centric interventions under Farmers First focus on increasing participation in decision-making, enhancing income through skill-based activities, and strengthening livelihood security, especially for small and marginal farm households.
Q4. Which area is NOT directly addressed by the special modules for women under Farmers First?
A. Drudgery reduction
B. Skill development
C. Income generation
D. Access to knowledge and resources
E. Defence technology training
Correct Answer: E
Detailed Explanation: The special modules under Farmers First focus on agriculture-related empowerment such as drudgery reduction, skills, income generation, and access to resources. Defence technology training is unrelated to the programme’s objectives.
Q5. How does empowering farm women under the Farmers First Initiative benefit agriculture?
A. By reducing labour availability
B. By limiting women’s participation to households
C. By improving productivity, income, and food security
D. By shifting focus away from farming
E. By increasing dependence on external labour
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Explanation: Empowering farm women leads to better farm management, improved household nutrition, higher income, and stronger food security. Their enhanced role contributes directly to sustainable agricultural development.
FAQs
Implemented by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
It was launched in 2016.
Women contribute significantly to farming operations, livestock, horticulture, and food security.
Small, marginal, and resource-poor farm households.
It increases productivity and creates additional income sources.
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