Natural Calamities, Rice Production Loss
and Risk Coping Strategies: Evidence from Odisha
-- Parshuram Samal and Rabinarayan Patra
Odisha is one of the states most vulnerable to natural calamities in India. Over the years, they have affected the economy of the state, especially its agriculture, very seriously. This paper attempts to estimate the production losses in rice due to three common types of natural calamities such as drought, flood and cyclone in Odisha over a period of 45 years (1965-66 to 2008-09) using secondary data, and also analyzes the coping strategies adopted by farmers on the basis of primary data collected from 100 affected sample farmers. The findings show heavy rice production losses in calamity years. Migration and shifting to wage work in the construction sector have been the major coping strategies to earn additional income and smoothen consumption spending in the calamity years. Given the impossibility of preventing the occurrence of natural calamities, it is possible to argue that a greater allocation of funds for rice research for developing rice varieties tolerant to various calamity situations and generation of more non-farm income opportunities in the rural areas will help in lessening the stress on the farmers.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Determinants of Wheat Productivity,
with Special Reference to Haryana
-- Anand S Kodan, Amit Yadav, Vinod Kumar and Sandeep Mehra
This study, we have analyzes the growth and spatial pattern to find out the determinants of wheat productivity in Haryana. The Composite Standard Score (CSS) indicates that Kaithal, Karnal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts have secured top positions, while Gurgaon, Rewari and Mehandergarh have ended up in the last positions in the state in wheat crop intensity level. Out of these 11 variables, only one variable has been found to be significantly associated (negative) with wheat productivity (i.e., irrigation intensity). So, the authors suggest that the Government of Haryana should give importance to foresting and climate education to increase rainfall, providing low water absorbable seeds to save the water, appropriate utilization of water, providing sufficient finance as well as tractors at low, affordable cost, minimum paper work and minimum security for enhancing wheat productivity. It is the moral responsibility of North-Western (N-W) states of India in general and Haryana in particular to ensure increased wheat productivity to achieve the goal of a hunger-free India.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Period of Indian Economic Structural Adjustment
and Assam Tea Sector
-- Pradyut Guha
India’s tea sector has been faced with serious challenges followed by internal and external developments during the last two decades or so. The depressionary trend in various respects of tea sector has been marked in Assam, which has global reputation in terms of output generation and spread of tea cultivation. It was expected that the period of India’s economic liberalization would revive the Assam tea sector. But the reality has been different. There has been a gradual shift in most of the macro variables of tea sector of Assam in particular and India in general, but such changes were only due to trend variable but not due to productivity improvement of land and labor in the state. At the backdrop of this scenario, this paper endeavors to analyze some of the internal factors influencing the production of tea in Assam during the period of economic liberalization. The outcome of the present study reveals that the productivity of land and labor has not significantly improved in the whole period under investigation. Even India’s liberalization period has been unable to influence tea productivity in the state significantly. The trend is also expected to continue in the near future, unless suitable method of cultivation, which ensures higher productivity of either land or labor, is undertaken. A comparative analysis of the performance of tea sector of Assam during pre-liberalization and liberalization periods revealed that there was a structural break after initiation of economic liberalization. Judging from the lower compound annual growth rates during liberalization period compared with pre-liberalization growth rate, the study concludes that India’s liberalization period has been less successful in reviving the Assam tea sector.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Employment and Wages of Agricultural Women Labor:
A Case Study of Karimnagar District in Andhra Pradesh
-- Krishna Reddy Chittedi and Devendar Dommati
Contents
The study shows that female work participation rate has declined and seasonwise irrigation facility is the main factor that determines the employment and wages of the agricultural women labor. In Andhra Pradesh, male participation is more in categories of cultivators and other workers but their participation is less in the category of workers in household industry and agricultural laborers. In contrast, female participation rate is more for the category of agricultural laborers and household industry, but the rate is less in the case of cultivators and other workers.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
