Research on World Agricultural Economy

A Mixed-Methods Approach to Discover the Relationship of Sustainable Agriculture-Based Value Chain Integration and Market Access for Smallholder Farmers

Hayder M. Ali

Department of Information Technology, College of Science, University of Warith Al‑Anbiyaa, Karbala 56001, Iraq

Deeptha Ramamurthi

Department of Information Technology, School of Computer Science and Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600089, India

Santhi Sri Tatavarthy

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram 522502, India

Srinivasarao Bhukya

Department of Computer Science and Engineering (AI‑ML), Lakireddy Bali Reddy College of Engineering, Mylavaram 521230, India

Aseel Smerat

Faculty of Educational Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, 19328, Jordan; Centre for Research Impact and Outcome, Chitkara University, Rajpura 140401, India

Chandra Balasubramanian

Department of Information Technology, Easwari Engineering College, Ramapuram, Chennai, 600089, Tamil Nadu, India.

Ashurali Avliyakulov

Department of Finance and Tourism, Termez University of Economics and Service, Termez 190100, Uzbekistan

Sudhakar Sengan

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, PSN College of Engineering and Technology, Tirunelveli 627152, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36956/rwae.v7i2.2737

Received: 14 September 2025 | Revised: 4 November 2025 | Accepted: 11 November 2025 | Published Online: 21 May 2026

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Abstract

Market access (MA) and value chain integration (VCI) are problematic in India, but smallholder farmers (SF) are vital for multiple developing countries' agricultural sectors. Differences between regions in agricultural environments, socioeconomic setups, education levels, and formal support mechanisms have limited Indian farmers' VCI. Farmers in Nimar and Vindhya have more logistical problems and low-income participation relative to those in the Malwa Plateau, who have better organizational skills and MA. Cultural and social standards limit studies for women in traditional regions. This mixed-methods study addresses how agricultural mediators and organizations impact MA and VAI's benefits and drawbacks in the Malwa Plateau, Nimar, and Vindhya districts. In Nimar and Vindhya, VAI can be boosted by investing in physical infrastructure, adopting a cross-sectional method, minimizing transportation costs (TC), improving MA, cultivating network collaboration, and providing proper farming support. While VCI has significantly increased farmers' income, regional disparities impede the establishment and implementation of MA. This study groups farmers by region, organization, and crop yield using random samples' quantitative and qualitative data. Surveys, interviews, and market data from 236 Madhya Pradesh SF with > 2 ha were collected to ensure data reliability. Sample data show 40% of farmers are from the Malwa Plateau and 35% from Nimar. The findings show that MA needs supportive relationships and specific methods to lower TC, improve setups, and increase farmers' market participation. The study proposes measures to optimize VCI and boost economic development for SF in India's unique agricultural environment to increase farmer income by 15% while minimizing TC by 20%.

Keywords: Smallholder Farmers; Agricultural Value Chains; Optimize; Market Access; Agricultural Landscape

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