Assessment of Benefits of e-NAM on Socio-Economic Status of Farmers in Western Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

The National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) was introduced to strengthen agricultural marketing by improving transparency, price discovery and market access for farmers. This study examined farmers’ socio-economic characteristics and the benefits they perceive from e-NAM in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh, an early adopter of the platform. A descriptive–analytical design was used and 80 farmers were selected through multi-stage sampling from two e-NAM mandis. Primary data were collected through a pre-tested interview schedule. A socio-economic status (SES) index was constructed using z-score normalisation of education, landholding and farm income. Analytical tools included chi-square tests, Pearson and Spearman correlations and exploratory factor analysis. Results show that most respondents belonged to medium SES households with moderate education and small to medium landholdings. Economic benefits were the most widely experienced outcomes: 71.25% were satisfied with prices received and 82.5% reported higher profitability through e-NAM. Record keeping was rated positively, though infrastructural facilities such as storage, drinking water and trolleys remained inadequate. Education and landholding were significantly associated with key benefits and factor analysis identified three underlying benefit dimensions: economic gains, market services and infrastructure. The findings indicate that while e-NAM enhances transparency and market returns, complementary improvements in mandi infrastructure and inclusive capacity-building are essential for equitable participation.