International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Praveen Kote, Sidramayya and Donti Revanth

abstract
India's agricultural sector is characterized by small and marginal landholdings, leading to significant challenges in productivity, market access, and collective bargaining. Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have emerged as a vital institutional mechanism to mitigate these constraints and improve farmer livelihoods. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the performance of FPOs operating in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. A cross-sectional survey methodology was employed in Kurnool District, gathering data on various performance parameters from FPO members. The results indicate that network linkages were the highest perceived performance parameter (45.00%), followed by input service and farmer satisfaction (both ?31.67%). Critically, the overall performance assessment showed that the majority of FPO members perceived performance as 'Average' (40.83%), with 'High' and 'Poor' accounting for 32.50% and 26.67%, respectively. The study concludes that performance heterogeneity exists, with two FPOs (Parla and K. Markapuram) categorized as having Average performance and the remaining two (Y. Khanapuram and Chillabanda) showing a balanced split between High and Poor performance. These findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions to standardize and improve service delivery across FPOs.