The Role and Significance of Field Management Committees to Improve Farm Level Performance: Evidence from Rice Growing Area in Assam

The study is conducted to assess the farm level performance of both member and non-member of Field Management Committees (FMCs) based of primary data. Based on the estimated values of Farm Performance Index (FPI), the study found that the non-member farmers are constrained by low level of income, yield of rice and cropping intensity. Interestingly it is found that the FMC member farmers gained than the non-members but not substantially. Apparently, FMC is a mega village institution serving the purpose of input delivery. With 26000 FMCs covering all the villages can lead the movement of rural transformation in Assam. The findings indicate that the collective activity as part of FMC group failed to generate individual effort optimally which resulted in less performance. Measures needed to make FMC effective and accountable and to understand the cause and effect relationship for inefficient FMCs.