Impact of Groundwater Over-draft on Farm Income and Efficiency in Crop Production

In this study, the cost of groundwater extraction, impact of groundwater depletion on farm income, wateruse efficiency, technical efficiency in crop production and costs of groundwater depletion among different categories of farmers have been reported. The study has been conducted in the Chamarajanagar district of the Karnataka state, where groundwater is the major source of irrigation. Data have been collected from over-exploited, semi-critical and safe villages. The study has shown a wide difference between large and small farms in their access to groundwater resource in terms of cost. The functional analysis has revealed that farm income is lower in over-exploited and semi-critical villages compared to safe villages. The mean technical efficiency in crop production has been found highest among farmers in over-exploited villages. The total cost of groundwater depletion has been reported more in over-exploited villages and the cost increases with increase in the size of holding. The impact of this cost would be maximum on small and marginal farmers because of their low resource base and limited means of income. The study has emphasized on the need for incentivising for efficient use of groundwater by adopting efficient irrigation technologies like drip, sprinkler, etc. to ensure livelihood security.Groundwater, Over-draft, Farm income, Water-use efficiency, Technical efficiency, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q12, Q15, Q25,

Precision farming technology, adoption decisions and productivity of vegetables in resource-poor environments

‘Precision Farming’ or ‘Precision Agriculture’ aims at increasing productivity, decreasing production costs and minimizing the environmental impact of farming. In this context, the present study has been undertaken to understand the impact of precision farming on resource-poor regions and underprivileged farmers. Specifically, the study has looked into productivity, income, employment, and adoption behaviour of technology in agriculture. The study, conducted in the Dharmapuri district, has collected data on precision and non-precision farmings through the interview schedule during the year 2007. Sources of the productivity difference between the precision and conventional farmings have been identified by decomposing the productivity change. Financial impact of adoption has been studied through a two-stage econometric model. The first stage of the model consists of an adoption decision model that describes the factors which influence the likelihood of adopting precision farming. Results of first stage have provided input for the second stage of the model, which has been used to estimate the impact of precision farming on farm financial performance. The study has revealed that adoption of precision farming has led to 80 per cent increase in yield in tomato and 34 per cent in brinjal production. Increase in gross margin has been found as 165 and 67 per cent, respectively in tomato and brinjal farming. The contribution of technology for higher yield in precision farming has been 33.71 per cent and 20.48 per cent, respectively in tomato and brinjal production. The elasticity of 0.39 for the adoption in tomato and 0.28 in brinjal has indicated that as the probability of adoption increases by 10 per cent, net return increases by 39 per cent and 28 per cent in tomato and brinjal cultivation. Lack of finance and credit facilities have been identified as the major constrains in nonadoption of precision farming. The study has suggested that providing of subsidies for water-soluble fertilizers and pump-sets will increase adoption of precision farming.Crop Production/Industries,

A bioeconomic analysis of sustainability of marine fish production in Kerala

The study has been undertaken in Kerala State in India with an overall objective of analyzing the bio-economic conditions of commercially exploited marine fishes for assessing their sustainability in the context of existing management practices. Maximum sustainable yield, maximum economic yield and open access levels of yield and effort were analyzed using Gompertz-Fox growth model. The study concluded that the fishing effort exceeded the economically optimal levels and there is unnecessary wastage of money, manpower and fuel in the fishing industry. The study stressed the urgent need for capture fisheries management in the State which at present follows an open access fishery where regulations exist only in the form of seasonal closure in the monsoon season

Statistics in the Landscape of Intersecting Brane Models

An approach towards a statistical survey of four dimensional supersymmetric vacua in the string theory landscape is described and illustrated with three examples of ensembles of intersecting D-brane models. The question whether it is conceivable to make predictions based on statistical distributions is discussed. Especially interesting in this context are possible correlations between low energy observables. As an example we look at correlations between properties of the gauge sector of intersecting D-brane models and Gepner model constructions.Comment: Submitted for the SUSY07 proceedings, 4 pages, 2 figure

Farmers’ Vulnerability to Rainfall Variability and Technology Adoption in Rain-fed Tank Irrigated Agriculture

Increasing temperature and variability in precipitation in the semi-arid regions have reduced crop yields and increased vulnerability of the farmers. This paper has estimated the vulnerability of both farmers and irrigation tanks to rainfall variability in a rain-fed area. It has also looked into the adoption of technologies to cope up with rainfall variability and the determinants of technology adoption in the rain-fed tank irrigated agriculture. Tank performance has been evaluated through adjusted tank performance measure, vulnerability has been estimated through livelihood vulnerability index and technology adoption has been studied through a logit model. The data were collected through multistage sampling technique in two areas with below normal rainfall and above normal rainfall. The study has revealed that tank performance and livelihood vulnerability are marginally higher in below normal rainfall area. The adoption of technologies was significantly influenced by the extension services and land tenure. This implies the need for effective policies for the transfer of climate adaptation technologies in agriculture

Impact of Groundwater Over-draft on Farm Income and Efficiency in Crop Production

In this study, the cost of groundwater extraction, impact of groundwater depletion on farm income, wateruse efficiency, technical efficiency in crop production and costs of groundwater depletion among different categories of farmers have been reported. The study has been conducted in the Chamarajanagar district of the Karnataka state, where groundwater is the major source of irrigation. Data have been collected from over-exploited, semi-critical and safe villages. The study has shown a wide difference between large and small farms in their access to groundwater resource in terms of cost. The functional analysis has revealed that farm income is lower in over-exploited and semi-critical villages compared to safe villages. The mean technical efficiency in crop production has been found highest among farmers in over-exploited villages. The total cost of groundwater depletion has been reported more in over-exploited villages and the cost increases with increase in the size of holding. The impact of this cost would be maximum on small and marginal farmers because of their low resource base and limited means of income. The study has emphasized on the need for incentivising for efficient use of groundwater by adopting efficient irrigation technologies like drip, sprinkler, etc. to ensure livelihood security

Impact of Microfinance on Farm Income of Small and Marginal Farmers in Western Tamil Nadu

The small and marginal farmers were more dependent on the private credit sources with higher interest rate for their family needs and timely agricultural practices. Drought, pest and disease incidence, higher input cost, less product price and non-timely availability of credit were the major reasons for indebtedness of the small and marginal farmers. In this context, microcredit through bank linkage selfhelp groups (SHGs) served as the credit source to the small and marginal farmers. A study was conducted on the tribal and non-tribal SHG and non-SHG members in western Tamil Nadu in order to study the impact of microfinance on income of members and non-members of self-help groups on the selected tribal and non-tribal women in the study area. In the case of tribal SHG members, income from agricultural source was Rs. 48772 compared with Rs. 29900 of non-members. The average annual income of SHG members in before operation period was Rs. 11944 and it was Rs. 21415 in after implementation period and the difference was Rs. 9471. The non-tribal SHG member’s average annual income difference between the two periods before and after implementation period was Rs. 17332.Non-follow up practices from government officials was the main problem faced by SHG members in tribal sample farmers

Precision farming technology, adoption decisions and productivity of vegetables in resource-poor environments

‘Precision Farming’ or ‘Precision Agriculture’ aims at increasing productivity, decreasing production costs and minimizing the environmental impact of farming. In this context, the present study has been undertaken to understand the impact of precision farming on resource-poor regions and underprivileged farmers. Specifically, the study has looked into productivity, income, employment, and adoption behaviour of technology in agriculture. The study, conducted in the Dharmapuri district, has collected data on precision and non-precision farmings through the interview schedule during the year 2007. Sources of the productivity difference between the precision and conventional farmings have been identified by decomposing the productivity change. Financial impact of adoption has been studied through a two-stage econometric model. The first stage of the model consists of an adoption decision model that describes the factors which influence the likelihood of adopting precision farming. Results of first stage have provided input for the second stage of the model, which has been used to estimate the impact of precision farming on farm financial performance. The study has revealed that adoption of precision farming has led to 80 per cent increase in yield in tomato and 34 per cent in brinjal production. Increase in gross margin has been found as 165 and 67 per cent, respectively in tomato and brinjal farming. The contribution of technology for higher yield in precision farming has been 33.71 per cent and 20.48 per cent, respectively in tomato and brinjal production. The elasticity of 0.39 for the adoption in tomato and 0.28 in brinjal has indicated that as the probability of adoption increases by 10 per cent, net return increases by 39 per cent and 28 per cent in tomato and brinjal cultivation. Lack of finance and credit facilities have been identified as the major constrains in nonadoption of precision farming. The study has suggested that providing of subsidies for water-soluble fertilizers and pump-sets will increase adoption of precision farming