Kerala Farmers’ Welfare Fund Board
A contributory welfare fund that pays a farmer ₹5,000 a month from the age of 60 — with the state matching what the farmer puts in, up to ₹250 a month.
Run by: Department of Agriculture Development & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of Kerala
- Pension
- ₹5,000 / month at 60
- Member contribution
- ₹100–₹250 / month
- State match
- Up to ₹250 / month
- Qualifying period
- 5 years unbroken
- Statutory basis
- Kerala Farmers' Welfare Fund Act, 2019
- Board constituted
- ~October 2020 (first of its kind)
Overview
Farming has no retirement. When a farmer can no longer work the land there is usually no pension behind them, which is the gap this board exists to close. A farmer joins by paying ₹100 to register and then contributing between ₹100 and ₹250 a month; the state government matches that contribution up to ₹250.
Contribute without a break for five years and you are entitled to a pension of ₹5,000 a month on turning 60. The board is broader than the pension alone — members also get medical assistance, family pension, sickness and disability benefit, education assistance, marriage and maternity allowance, and posthumous benefits. It is administered from Thrissur, and membership can be taken online.
The board traces back to the Kissan Abhiman Scheme of 16 August 2011, an earlier arrangement that gave paddy cultivators and small farmers a pension from age 60. The Kerala Farmers' Welfare Fund Act, 2019 put this on a proper statutory footing, and the Board itself was formally constituted around October 2020 — described at the time as the first dedicated farmers' welfare fund board of its kind in the country. Its own administrative running costs (separate from the pension and benefit payouts, which come from member and matching state contributions) were budgeted at ₹200 lakh for the department's 2025-26 allocation.
What you get
The benefit as the state notifies it — nothing here is an estimate.
- A pension of ₹5,000 a month from age 60 after five unbroken years of contribution.
- The state matches your monthly contribution, up to ₹250 — so the fund grows at roughly double what you put in.
- Medical assistance, sickness and disability benefit for members.
- Family pension, education assistance, marriage and maternity allowance, and posthumous benefits.
Who is eligible
State schemes usually state their criteria as prose rather than a checklist. This is that prose, unpacked — the department’s verification is what decides.
You qualify if
- Farmer in Kerala enrolling as a member of the welfare fund board
- Payment of the ₹100 registration fee
- Monthly contribution between ₹100 and ₹250
- Five years of unbroken contribution to qualify for the pension at 60
Not covered
- Members who break the contribution record before completing the qualifying period
- Non-members — the benefits follow membership, not farming alone
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — most rejections are a missing paper, not a missing right.
- Aadhaar card
- Land record or proof of farming
- Bank passbook
- Passport-size photograph
- Nominee details for family pension
How to apply
Fewer steps than a central scheme, and usually one office rather than a portal.
- 1
Enrol with the welfare fund board
Register online at kfwfb.kerala.gov.in or through the board, paying the ₹100 registration fee.
- 2
Contribute every month without a break
Pay between ₹100 and ₹250 monthly. The state matches it up to ₹250 — and the unbroken record is what protects the pension.
- 3
Draw the pension from 60
After five years of unbroken contribution, the ₹5,000 monthly pension becomes payable on turning 60.
If something goes wrong
Missing from the list, or payment stuck — here is the channel the department itself publishes for it.
- Membership, contribution or pension-payment issues should first be raised with the Board office in Thrissur or your local Krishibhavan.
- If unresolved, escalate to the Chief Minister's Public Grievance Redressal Cell — Kerala's general public-grievance system — on the toll-free helpline 1076, or through the portal at cmo.kerala.gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I have to pay in?
₹100 to register, then between ₹100 and ₹250 a month. The state government adds a matching share of up to ₹250 on top of your contribution.
What happens if I miss some months?
The pension entitlement rests on five years of contribution without a break, so gaps put it at risk. Keep the record unbroken.
Is the pension the only benefit?
No. Members also get medical assistance, sickness and disability benefit, family pension, education assistance, marriage and maternity allowance and posthumous benefits.
Is this a brand-new board, or does it build on something older?
It builds on the Kissan Abhiman Scheme of 16 August 2011, which gave paddy cultivators and small farmers a pension from age 60. The Kerala Farmers' Welfare Fund Act, 2019 gave the current arrangement a proper statutory footing, and the Board was formally constituted around October 2020 as the first dedicated farmers'-welfare fund board of its kind in the country.
Does the state's ₹200 lakh budget line pay for my pension?
No — that figure funds the Board's own administrative running costs. The pension itself is funded separately, from members' monthly contributions matched by the state up to ₹250.
Facts checked against kfwfb.kerala.gov.in on 20 October 2026. editorial policy.