International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Sarga SO and Smitha KP

abstract
The study was conducted in the districts of Idukki and Palakkad, Kerala in 2025 with the objective of identifying factors contributing to distress among small and marginal farmers. A qualitative research design was adopted, employing focus group discussions (FGDs) to extract farmer perceptions. Twenty key informants each were purposively selected from two panchayats in each district, and their responses were cross-validated with extension personnel for developing the model. The mental model approach, based on the information-decision framework, was used to organize farmer perceptions into six domains: stress factors, decision-making processes, constraints, outcomes, and adaptation and institutional interventions. The results showed that drought and wild animal conflict were perceived as the most critical stressors, while pest and disease incidence and low market prices further aggravated distress among farmers of the two districts. Farmers’ decisions were found to be largely reactive, focusing on short-term coping strategies such as crop switching or input reduction, while long-term adaptive strategies were less common. Constraints such as limited financial literacy, dependence on informal credit, and inadequate awareness of schemes restricted informed decision-making. The outcomes of distress included both economic losses, such as indebtedness & reduced investment, and psychological consequences, including anxiety and loss of interest in farming. Adaptation strategies like crop diversification and community labour involvement were observed, but institutional support such as subsidies, crop insurance, and farmer producer organizations remained underutilized. The study concludes that farmer distress is multidimensional, requiring integrated interventions addressing environmental, economic, institutional, and psychosocial dimensions.