The Economic Reality of Underutilised Crops for Climate Resilience, Food Security and Nutrition: Assessing Finger Millet Productivity in India

In spite of the considerable potential contribution of neglected and underutilised crops to climate resilience, food security and nutrition; widespread adoption of these crops remains a challenge. Uptake is inhibited by poor economic performance due to low yields, compounded further by various social factors. Using farm survey data and aggregated time-series data from four states in southern India, this study examines factors influencing productivity in finger millet cultivation. A farm-level yield gap analysis is complemented by an analysis of total factor productivity (TFP) growth between 1999 and 2014 to better understand the role of research and innovation. Results suggest that there is considerable potential for improved growing practices to achieve better yields, but also education levels and technical support emerge as crucial factors for boosting finger millet productivity. The TFP analysis indicates a moderate level of growth, with a high variability and conflicting trends between states, suggesting a need to invest more in research and development, extension and infrastructure. Sustained productivity gains will require research efforts that respond to the needs expressed by farmers and that finger millet forms part of an overall strategy for sustainable intensification

Ex-ante attribute based technology development in agriculture: A case of finger millet in India

Knowing farmers preference is critical in developing a technology by researchers, which will increase the acceptance and adoption among farmers. With this backdrop, the article aims at identifying the attributes/traits preferred by farmers in finger millet crop, using conjoint analysis and Garrett ranking techniques. The results of conjoint analysis indicated that in rainfed situation, farmers prefer drought tolerant followed by tall plant height, long crop duration, high fodder yield, average grain yield and red colour grain. Similarly, in irrigated situation, farmers preferred average grain and fodder yield and tall plant height. Conjoint results indicated that farmers preferred average grain yield in both rainfed and irrigated situations. Further it was hypothesized that any rational farmer prefer high grain yield. This was empirically tested using Garrett ranking technique. In Garrett ranking technique, the ex-ante farmer preference showed that, majority of farmers prefer high grain and fodder yield followed by red colour grain in both rainfed and irrigated situation. However, the difference in the identification of attributes between two approaches is narrow. Hence, it is vital that scientists will have to work on these attributes, while developing improved finger millet varieties, to make the technology viable and sustainable in the long run. Acknowledgement : The Authors wish to thank, farmers for sparing their valuable time in providing precious information and Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India (Grant No. BT/IC-2/ISCB/Phase-IV/03/RAGI/2014 dated: 23-01-2015) for the financial support for the duration of three years (2015-16 to 2017-18) under Indo-Swiss collaboration in Biotechnology

Resource use efficiency and externality associated with banana production in Karnataka, (India)

The study was conducted in Hilly Zones of Karnataka to assess the resource use efficiency and externalities in banana and its competing crop. Cobb-Douglas type of production function (per hectare), was used to assess the resource use efficiency in banana and its competing crops production. Resource use efficiency in banana production was high in case of chemical fertilizer (4.32) followed by sucker (3.25), FYM (2.47) and irrigation (1.93), indicating considerable scope to increase banana production by increasing the level of these inputs. The resources were over utilized in case of competing crops (paddy and ginger). Thus, farmers can reduce the wastage of resources by cultivating banana crop. The externality for resource use in banana and its competing crops was quantified. The results revealed that the cost incurred on fertilizers was more in case of ginger (Rs. 43,200/ha) followed by banana (Rs. 25,450/ha) and paddy (Rs. 9,644/ ha). With respect to PPC also the cost was more in ginger (Rs. 69,519/ha) compared to paddy (Rs.5,630/ ha) and banana (Rs. 3,893/ ha). This clearly indicated that ecologically banana has very less negative impact due to less usage of PPC. Acknowledgement

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Not AvailableIn spite of the considerable potential contribution of neglected and underutilised crops to climate resilience, food security and nutrition; widespread adoption of these crops remains a challenge. Uptake is inhibited by poor economic performance due to low yields, compounded further by various social factors. Using farm survey data and aggregated time-series data from four states in southern India, this study examines factors influencing productivity in finger millet cultivation. A farm-level yield gap analysis is complemented by an analysis of total factor productivity (TFP) growth between 1999 and 2014 to better understand the role of research and innovation. Results suggest that there is considerable potential for improved growing practices to achieve better yields, but also education levels and technical support emerge as crucial factors for boosting finger millet productivity. The TFP analysis indicates a moderate level of growth, with a high variability and conflicting trends between states, suggesting a need to invest more in research and development, extension and infrastructure. Sustained productivity gains will require research efforts that respond to the needs expressed by farmers and that finger millet forms part of an overall strategy for sustainable intensification.Indo-Swiss Cooperation on Biotechnology (ISCB) programm