Pest
Management Practices of Cotton Growers in Guntur District:
An Explorative Study
-- M
Srinivasa Reddy
This
paper discloses the fact that heavy and unscientific dosages
of chemical pesticides and application practices seriously
affect the ecological and environmental balance. Thus,
this paper attempts to highlight some important issues
associated with cotton cropping in Guntur district like
land preparation, seed treatment, intercropping, crop
rotation and avoidance of contiguous cotton fields. This
study also analyses the pest management practices at different
stages of crop growth and points out certain interesting
findings about the cotton growers. Firstly, they are not
fully aware of the importance of pre-sowing pest management
practices. Secondly, the cotton farmers are not accustomed
to using the labeled seeds. Thirdly, the farmers are not
fully familiar with the use of different control methods,
though most of them are in a position to correctly identify
the various pests, insects and diseases attacking the
crop. This can be attributed to the excessive dependence
of the farmers on the dealers, company agents and their
fellow farmers for identification as well as adoption
of control measures without resorting to the agricultural
extension personnel adopting the chemical method. This
study concludes that there is a need to educate the farmers
about the pest management practices through training and
timely demonstration.
©
2005 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Inequality
in Land Distribution Pattern: An Empirical Analysis
-- Trupti
Mishra
This
paper attempts to study the changes in the pattern of
land distribution in India and particularly in Orissa
during the period 1970-71 to 1995-96. The findings of
this study reveal that the marginal and semi-medium farmers
are gaining in importance at the expense of small, medium
and large farmers owning operated holdings in the country.
The author further states that land reform has succeeded
in Orissa in reducing the concentration of large holdings,
but the main beneficiaries are middle-scale farmers. This
paper suggests that there should be proper distribution
of surplus land among the landless following strict implementation
of the ceiling laws, since increasing landlessness causes
a serious problem for the ruling class and the society
at large. The author believes that as our agrarian institutions
are biased to large-scale farmers, there is necessity
to gear these institutions towards the marginal and small
farmers, who have been increasing continuously.
©
2005 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Natural
Resources Development for Sustainable Development of Agriculture:
A Study in Tribal Areas of Andhra Pradesh
-- L
Reddeppa
This
study warns that indiscriminate use of natural resources,
increased biotic interference and intensified use of land
have adverse effects on ecological balance and environment
which is threatening the accomplishment of sustainable
development of agriculture. Against this scenario, this
study evaluates the Andhra Pradesh Participatory Tribal
Development Project (APPTDP) implemented for a period
of eight years, i.e., from the year 1995-96 to 2002-03.
It is obvious from this study that the programs of natural
resource development like minor irrigation tanks/small
kuntas; soil, water and moisture conservation works; horticulture
and non-timber forest produce species; and arable crop
development schemes in tribal areas have improved their
participatory levels on conservation of resources. Further,
this study finds that these programs have a negative impact
on the growth of total cropped area as they keep their
uneconomical lands under fallow and substitute their income
through wage employment. However, this study concludes
that these programs have increased the land productivity
for the present and also help in the growth of sustainable
development of agriculture in future.
©
2005 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Organic
Farming in India: A Fad or Environmental Necessity?
--
Harsh
Bhargava and S Rangarajan
This
paper mainly focuses on certain problems like the consequences
of organic farming and four common myths associated with
organic farming. The authors also discuss the well-known
side effects in organic farming on soil, water, biodiversity
and health. This paper also analyzes the impact of organic
farming on sustainability issues concerning ecological,
social and economic balance. Further, the authors assess
the global perspective including land area in different
countries across the globe under organic management. The
paper also brings out the reasons for cost disadvantage
in organic farming and the methods to overcome this problem.
In this perspective, this study briefly discusses the
international market for organic food products. The authors
conclude that organic farming is indeed an environmental
necessity for sustenance of our planet.
©
2005 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Microenterprise:
A Step Towards Rural Women Empowerment
-- Trilochan
Tripathy
In
the backdrop of prevailing gender inequity in our society
and emphasis laid on women empowerment in general and
rural women in particular, a study was undertaken on micro-enterprise
as a step towards empowerment of rural women. The basic
hypothesis in undertaking the study was that the empowerment
process begins with and is supported by economic independence
of women. Field data were collected from rural women in
three categories such as micro-entrepreneurs, non-entrepreneurs
and housewives in undivided districts of Puri and Phulbani
in the state of Orissa during the year 2000. A comparative
data analysis has been done to throw light on whether
entering into micro-enterprises has helped in reducing
the extent of gender inequity prevailing in the family
and has helped in their empowerment. The findings of the
study results are that education has a stake on women's
involvement in decision-making process of the family and
it is the women micro-entrepreneurs who participate comparatively
to a greater extent than the non-entrepreneurs and housewives.
Further, so far as equity in the food consumption pattern
and asset ownership in the family is concerned, micro-entrepreneurs
are better placed compared to the non-entrepreneurs and
housewives. However, the extent of gender inequity in
workload burden is seen to have been prominent among working
women than housewives. Thus, empowerment of rural women
achieved through micro-enterprises indirectly imposes
a burden on women in the form of loss of leisure for them.
Based on the findings, it is suggested that there is a
need for expansion of educational facilities, both formal
and informal for women in the rural areas to improve their
involvement in the decision-making process. Promotion
for more and more micro-enterprises among rural women
through policy initiatives could help in their empowerment.
©
2005 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
