The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) is a coalition of over four hundred Indian farmers' unions, functioning as an active umbrella institution for farmers' movements. It was formed in November 2020 to coordinate a satyagraha, or non-violent resistance, against the three farm acts passed by the central government in September 2020. The SKM's formation solved the problem of uniting disparate farmer groups under a single banner to oppose the laws, which they asserted were anti-farmer and pro-big business.
The SKM works by coordinating nationwide protests, issuing resolutions, and engaging in dialogue with the government, though its method is primarily non-violent protest. Its initial key demand was the repeal of the three farm laws, which the Union government eventually withdrew. Currently, its central mechanism of action involves pressing for a law to guarantee the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops.
The SKM is intrinsically connected to the 2020-2021 Indian farmers' protest and the now-repealed three farm laws. It also connects to the long-standing demand for MSP based on the C2+50% formula. Recently, the SKM has been active in opposing the draft Seeds Bill (intended to replace the Seeds Act, 1966) and proposed Free Trade Agreements with countries like the US, arguing they compromise the interests of the agriculture and dairy sectors. A recent change is a split in the movement, which led to the creation of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), though the original SKM continues its work.