Farmers Movement in Maharashtra

This edited volume titled “Farmers Movement in Maharashtra” arises from a deep concern for the conditions, struggles, and resilience of Indian farmers, particularly those in regions marked by agrarian distress and recurrent drought. It reflects a shared academic and social commitment to understanding how farmers have continuously asserted their rights, dignity, and agency in the face of structural inequalities and changing agrarian policies. 

The book brings together scholars, researchers, and practitioners who engage with farmers’ movements from historical, economic, political, literary, and socio-cultural perspectives. Without limiting itself to a single disciplinary lens, the volume traverses questions of land, labour, credit, state policy, leadership, ideology, and representation, thereby offering a multidimensional view of agrarian reality. Several chapters situate Maharashtra within the wider Indian context, while others focus on specific regions and movements, thereby balancing macro-level analysis with grounded local studies. 

The contributions collectively trace the evolution of farmers’ struggles from the colonial period to the contemporary era, highlighting shifts in forms of protest, organizational strategies, and state responses. Issues such as land reforms, colonial and post-colonial agrarian policies, crises of indebtedness, market fluctuations, and the impact of globalization and liberalization receive sustained attention. Some chapters foreground the role of ideas, texts, and leaders in shaping agrarian consciousness, while others draw attention to marginalized voices, including those of women and subordinated communities within the rural landscape. 

A notable feature of this volume is its engagement with both archival and contemporary experiences of farmers in Maharashtra and beyond. The chapters examine movements, policies, and debates not in isolation but as part of a wider process of social transformation, touching upon questions of social justice, democracy, and rural development. By doing so, the book underscores the centrality of the primary sector to the nation’s economy and the profound human cost borne by those who sustain it through their labour.

The idea for this book emerged from the continuing agrarian unrest in India and the intense experiences of crisis in regions such as Vidarbha, which has become emblematic of drought, indebtedness, and farmer distress. The volume has been edited with careful attention to academic rigour, conceptual clarity, and relevance for teaching, research, and policy deliberation. It is designed to serve undergraduate and postgraduate students, research scholars, teachers, professionals, and policymakers who wish to deepen their understanding of farmers’ movements and agrarian questions in India. 

It is hoped that this book will encourage further dialogue, critical reflection, and research on farmers’ issues and on the broader challenges facing rural India today. Sincere gratitude is extended to all the contributors for their insightful chapters and for their patience and cooperation throughout the review and revision process. Warm thanks to the Mr. Madhukrrao N. Kokate, President, Janvikas Shikshan Sanstha, Yeoda, Principal, Dr. Y. G. Singh, Arts Commerce College, Yeoda, and all staff members and colleagues for their constant support and encouragement, without which this volume would not have taken its present shape.