Factors Influencing Economic Viability of Marginal and Small Farmers in Punjab

It has been noticed in Punjab that living in nearly the same socio-economic environment, some of the marginal and small farmers are financially viable, which means that they are able to earn enough income to meet their farm as well as household expenditure, while others fail to do so. There are multiple factors responsible for this viability. Broadly these factors are: farm size, off-farm income, income from dairy, rational domestic expenditure, and productivity of crops. This paper has examined the contribution of these factors towards the viability of marginal and small farmers by collecting data from three districts (Ropar, Ludhiana and Bathinda) of the state. The rationalizations of household expenditure and farm investment are also a source of enhancing the possibilities of financial viability of both the categories of farming families. Therefore, on the policy front, all efforts should be made to create off-farm employment opportunities for these farmers. The public investments should be made to remove the regional productivity gaps, as it will enhance income of these farmers. Assuring remunerative prices and up-scaling of the marketing and input supply facilities are the need of the hour to promote dairying and other allied activities among these farmers. All these measures will go a long way in easing the financial stress on marginal and small farmers of the area. In the prevailing economic scenario, it is difficult to pull out or push out these farmers out of agriculture in a short-run and hence the solution lies in making them part-time farmers having access to diversified sources of income as has happened in some of the South-East Asian countries.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Factors Influencing Economic Viability of Marginal and Small Farmers in Punjab

It has been noticed in Punjab that living in nearly the same socio-economic environment, some of the marginal and small farmers are financially viable, which means that they are able to earn enough income to meet their farm as well as household expenditure, while others fail to do so. There are multiple factors responsible for this viability. Broadly these factors are: farm size, off-farm income, income from dairy, rational domestic expenditure, and productivity of crops. This paper has examined the contribution of these factors towards the viability of marginal and small farmers by collecting data from three districts (Ropar, Ludhiana and Bathinda) of the state. The rationalizations of household expenditure and farm investment are also a source of enhancing the possibilities of financial viability of both the categories of farming families. Therefore, on the policy front, all efforts should be made to create off-farm employment opportunities for these farmers. The public investments should be made to remove the regional productivity gaps, as it will enhance income of these farmers. Assuring remunerative prices and up-scaling of the marketing and input supply facilities are the need of the hour to promote dairying and other allied activities among these farmers. All these measures will go a long way in easing the financial stress on marginal and small farmers of the area. In the prevailing economic scenario, it is difficult to pull out or push out these farmers out of agriculture in a short-run and hence the solution lies in making them part-time farmers having access to diversified sources of income as has happened in some of the South-East Asian countries

Reformulating Policies for Integrated Land and Water Use for Sustainable Agricultural Development: A Case of Punjab State

Land and water are the natural partners in the process of agricultural development. Their coordinated use is essen tial for long-term optimization of economic as well as social welfare. Deliberately planned or policy induced divergence from integrated land and water use management may bring short-term rewards but normally squeezes the long-term sustainability of growth as well as of resources. The Indian Punjab, known as the Heartland of Green Revolution, is a classic example of this. Punjab has depleted its land and water resources due to lack of their integrated use. The production pattern followed was neither commensurate with soil capabilities nor with water availability not to talk about their integrated capacities. The production, inputs use, pricing, marketing and other policies never focused upon the integrated sustainable land and water use management. The concentration of price support policy, assured marketing, input subsidization etc. on rice and wheat established the mono culture of high water requiring and nutrient exhausting rice-wheat crop rotation. This paper attempts to review the policies responsible for this situation and suggests a reformulation of the policies promoting sustainable land and water use. The poster presentation of the paper has been divided into five sections including first introductory section. Second section provides the profile of agricultural economy of the state. Third section deals with the policies, which prohibited the coordinated use of land and water. Fourth section reviews the impact of these policies on soil degradation and water depletion. In the fifth section an attempt has been made to put forward the policies and other remedial measures to correct the situation

Reformulating Policies for Integrated Land and Water Use for Sustainable Agricultural Development: A Case of Punjab State

Land and water are the natural partners in the process of agricultural development. Their coordinated use is essen tial for long-term optimization of economic as well as social welfare. Deliberately planned or policy induced divergence from integrated land and water use management may bring short-term rewards but normally squeezes the long-term sustainability of growth as well as of resources. The Indian Punjab, known as the Heartland of Green Revolution, is a classic example of this. Punjab has depleted its land and water resources due to lack of their integrated use. The production pattern followed was neither commensurate with soil capabilities nor with water availability not to talk about their integrated capacities. The production, inputs use, pricing, marketing and other policies never focused upon the integrated sustainable land and water use management. The concentration of price support policy, assured marketing, input subsidization etc. on rice and wheat established the mono culture of high water requiring and nutrient exhausting rice-wheat crop rotation. This paper attempts to review the policies responsible for this situation and suggests a reformulation of the policies promoting sustainable land and water use. The poster presentation of the paper has been divided into five sections including first introductory section. Second section provides the profile of agricultural economy of the state. Third section deals with the policies, which prohibited the coordinated use of land and water. Fourth section reviews the impact of these policies on soil degradation and water depletion. In the fifth section an attempt has been made to put forward the policies and other remedial measures to correct the situation.Agricultural and Food Policy, International Development,