Health-adjusted farm model proposed for Indian agriculture policy

An advisor to the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office has proposed a new economic model that treats farmer health as a direct multiplier on labour productivity in agriculture. The framework, published by The Hindu Business Line, adds a Farmer Health Capital factor to the classic production function, arguing that chronic occupational hazards such as heat stress and musculoskeletal disorders reduce planning horizons and raise post-harvest losses.

The article states that out-of-pocket medical expenses divert low-interest institutional crop credit in rural banking networks, disrupting the credit cycle. It recommends three policy changes: adding a Health Capital Premium to Minimum Support Price calculations for labour-intensive crops; linking Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission with land records to create Farmer Health Capital Indexes; and positioning agribusiness cooperatives as welfare hubs for sanitation, hydration, and ergonomic tools.

The author serves as Advisor for Viksit Maharashtra 2047 in the Chief Minister's Office, Government of Maharashtra.