Your search found 4 records
1 Pal, P. K.; Ganguly, B.; Roy, D.; Guha, A.; Hanglem, A.; Mondal, S. 2017. Social and biophysical impacts of watershed development programmes: experiences from a micro-watershed area in India. Water Policy, 19(4):773-785. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2017.189]
Watershed management ; Integrated management ; Development programmes ; Socioeconomic environment ; Biophysics ; Microirrigation ; Drainage ; Water conservation ; Technological changes ; Crop production ; Cropping patterns ; Agricultural productivity ; Dry farming ; Land use ; Farm area / India / West Bengal / Cooch Behar / Rangamati Micro-Watershed
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048228)
(0.37 MB)
Rainwater conservation and soil erosion prevention are vital for the economic and financial sustainability of dry land agriculture. An integrated watershed development programme is thus a means of achieving these goals. Presently, integrated watershed management is receiving worldwide recognition as an effective model for watershed planning. A watershed is considered the basic geographical unit for developing any plan by integrating various social, economic, and policy factors with modern science. Hence, it is an approach to develop the basic resources for sustainable life support. The present study was conducted to assess the impacts of the watershed development programme on the social and biophysical aspects in a micro-watershed area of Cooch Behar district, West Bengal, India. This study confirmed that the project had positive effects that strengthened the socio-personal and economic characteristics of the farmers and improved the biophysical environment of the farms. The soil and water conservation efforts have increased the total cultivable area as well as improved the irrigation and drainage facilities in the micro-watershed units, thereby increasing the acreage and productivity of crops.
2 Islam, Md. M.; Sarker, Md. A.; Mamun, Md. A. A.; Mamun-ur-Rashid, Md.; Roy, D.. 2021. Stepping up versus stepping out: on the outcomes and drivers of two alternative climate change adaptation strategies of smallholders. World Development, 148:105671. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105671]
Climate change adaptation ; Strategies ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Farmland ; Households ; Livelihoods ; Food security ; Vulnerability ; Indicators ; Villages / Bangladesh
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050683)
(2.32 MB)
Which of the two climate change adaptation strategies – adjusting or improving farming (defined as Stepping Up) versus reducing or exiting farming (defined as Stepping Out) – provides better developmental outcomes for smallholder farmers? Are the drivers of these two strategies different? Do the outcomes and drivers vary according to farmland holding size? We investigated these unanswered questions, inspired primarily by a widespread but unverified suggestion that stepping out of farming can be a better option for smallholders. We utilised recent survey data from over eight hundred smallholder households located in climatic hazard-prone areas in Bangladesh. We applied a holistic Driver-Strategy-Outcome analytical framework and rigorous statistical methods, including index-based data aggregation, and Structural Equation Modelling with ‘mediation’ and ‘moderation’ analyses. Contrary to widespread speculations, we found that Stepping Out had a large negative effect on smallholders’ livelihood Outcomes; while Stepping Up had a moderate, but positive effect. The natural-environmental Drivers of Stepping Up and Stepping Out were similar; however, the psychological-institutional Drivers of each differed, with the same factor acting as a driver for one strategy whilst as a deterrent for the other. We found significant ‘mediatory’ effects of both the adaptation Strategies on Outcomes as well as significant ‘moderation’ effects of farmland holding size on the Drivers and Outcomes, with the positive effect of Stepping Up observed for smallholders owing lands of <2.5 acres only. We call for relevant policies and interventions to exercise caution in promoting smallholders’ exit from agriculture, and to adopt appropriate mitigating measures to manage such a transition. Moreover, smallholder agricultural development initiatives should not discount even the ‘smallest of smallholders’ and support them through ‘diverse and complementary innovations’ as well as ‘tailored’ institutional support services, especially for those living in proximity to hazard hotspots.
3 Varshney, Deepak; Mishra, A. K.; Joshi, P. K.; Roy, D.. 2022. Social networks, heterogeneity, and adoption of technologies: evidence from India. Food Policy, 112:102360. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2022.102360]
Agricultural technology ; Social networks ; Mustard ; Hybrids ; Farmers ; Caste systems ; Socioeconomic environment / India / Rajasthan
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051433)
(0.64 MB)
This study examines the role of caste-based affiliations in the smallholders’ social network interactions for adoption choices. In particular, whether lower-caste, namely Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, farmers rely more on social networks for information than their counterparts. We further explore whether social network effects are more pronounced when farmers interact within their caste than otherwise. Finally, the study tests whether the effects (intra-caste and inter-caste) vary by caste—SC/ST versus non-SC/ST farmers. The study uses a survey of 478 mustard farmers in Rajasthan, India. Econometric concerns related to unobserved heterogeneity are addressed by employing specifications with village fixed effects and a series of robustness tests. Simultaneity concerns are addressed by analyzing the social network effects in a dynamic adoption framework. Results show that the adoption choices regarding hybrid mustard seeds are more pronounced for the lower-caste farmers than for their counterparts. Findings reveal that social network effects are significant in intra-caste but not in the case of inter-caste. Finally, the result shows that the likelihood of accepting advice in technology adoption is higher when SC/ST farmers interact with non-SC/ST network members than when non-SC/ST farmers interact with SC/ ST network members.
4 Kumar, A.; Roy, D.; Tripathi, Gaurav; Adhikari, R. 2024. Contract farming, farmers’ income and adoption of food safety practices: evidence from remote areas of Nepal. Agricultural Economics Research Review, 37(1):59-78. [doi: https://doi.org/10.5958/0974-0279.2024.00010.7]
Contract farming ; Farmers' income ; Food safety ; Ginger ; Profitability ; Costs ; Markets ; Smallholders ; Households / Nepal / Pyuthan / Palpa / Arghakhanchi
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H053001)
(0.31 MB)
In this paper we study the case of contract farming for exports with farmers in remote hilly areas of Nepal. The prospect for contract farming in such areas with accessibility issues owing to underdeveloped markets and lack of amenities is ambiguous. On the one hand, contractors find it difficult to build links in these cases particularly when final consumers have quality and safety requirements. On the other hand however, remoteness makes the contracts more sustainable. The latter happens if there are product specific quality advantages because of agro-ecology and more importantly due to lack of side selling opportunities. At the same time concerns remain about monopsonistic powers of the buyers when remotely located small farmers do not have outside options. This study hence quantifies the benefits of contract farming on remotely located farmers’ income and compliance with food safety measures. Results show that contract farming is significantly more profitable (58% greater net income) than independent production, the main pathway being higher price realization along with training on practices and provision of quality seeds.
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