This paper examines the roles of farmers’ organisations board of directors through different theoretical frameworks. Using organisational and social theories that have dominated the empirical investigation on the roles of the board of directors in the private sector (agency theory, stakeholder theory, democratic perspectives, and Weber’s notion of traditionalism), the paper provides a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and complexities faced by the board of director of farmers’ organisations. The paper contributes to the literature on farmers’ organisations board governance by illuminating the diverse theoretical assumptions of board roles in farmers’ organisation which is still under-theorised in the literature. The analysis performed will help researchers to identify potential research opportunities related to board governance in farmers’ organisations.