Socio-economic and Environmental Perspectives of Sustainable Watershed Eco-System in Union Territory of Pondicherry

The study conducted in the Karaikal region of the Union Territory of Pondicherry during 2004-05 has made a comparison of watershed and conventional systems. The crop diversification index has been found 0.28 in watershed and 0.32 in the conventional system. The study has revealed that nearly all the farmers in the watershed and only 40 per cent in the conventional system apply organic fertilizers. Moreover, farmers apply more fertilizers in the conventional (235 kg/ha) than watershed (210 kg/ha) system. The index of yield stability for all the crops has been found to be 0.98 in the watershed and 0.84 in the conventional system. The gross return has been found higher by 11.65 per cent, and net return by 32.18 per cent in the watershed than the conventional system. The input self-sufficiency ratio has been found to be 0.52 in the watershed and 0.47 in the conventional system. The analysis has indicated that if the agricultural income were considered, there has been no significant variation in food security in the two systems. The analysis has further revealed that there is a potential in promoting watershed system of farming for which it is necessary to devise policies that will provide incentives to watershed farmers both directly and indirectly. Until effective biological measures of soil fertilization are introduced, polices could be adopted to promote the application of biological and chemical fertilizers in a balanced way, so as to maintain soil structure and sustain or increase crop yields.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Should shrimp farmers pay paddy farmers? : the challenges of examining salinisation externalities in South India

This study calculates the externality costs of salinization of land by comparing rice paddy yields in two similar villages in southern India. Shrimp farming causes two kinds of externality costs due to salinization: (i) An externality borne by the current generation due to decline in crop yields; (ii) An inter-generational externality borne by future generations because of environmental damage to land and groundwater resources. Findings show that if soil salinity is reduced to safe levels crop gains are estimated in the range of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per hectare. A regulatory framework for taxing externalities is recommended

Efficiencies of Rice Production in Union Territory of Pondicherry

The efficiency of paddy farms in the Union Territory of Pondicherry has been measured for the year 2005- 06 using data envelopment analysis (DEA). It has revealed that about 12.62 per cent of the farmers who operate rice farms belong to the most efficient category (90-100 per cent) and 23.45 per cent belong to the least efficient group (less than 50 pr cent), with the mean technical efficiency of 64 per cent. The allocative efficiency measure has indicated that about 15.86 per cent of the farmers belong to the most efficient category and 21 per cent to the least efficient group, with the mean allocative efficiency of 76 per cent. This suggests that the farms on an average, produce only about two-thirds of the potential output level. Also, there is possibility to increase the output level by 36 per cent in the short-run. The mean allocative efficiency measure has indicated that the rice farmers could reduce the costs by about 24 per cent by adoption of appropriate technologies and management practices. The returns to scale co-efficient have been found fairly distributed, suggesting that there is no systematic pattern in farms being too big or too small. More than one-third of the farmers belong to the most efficient scale group (90-100 per cent) and 4.18 per cent operate the farms in the least scale efficient group. Most of the allocative inefficiency can be attributed to over-use of labour, fertilizers and chemicals and this situation warrants policy interventions. Concerted efforts are essential to bridge the gap between awareness level and adoption of technologies by strengthening the agricultural extension system

Impact of Technology on Paddy Farms in Karaikal Region of Union Territory of Pondicherry

The present study conducted in Karaikal region of the Union Territory of Pondicherry during 2002-03 has revealed that paddy production through the direct-sown method is more profitable as compared to the traditional transplanting method. Direct-sown method reduces the requirements of plant nutrients, irrigation and labour and thereby costs of production. The productivity, however, has been found less with the direct sowing than the traditional sowing. But, due to reduction in production costs, farmers could realize higher net income from the adoption of direct-sown method. The technical efficiency is also less on direct seeded farms, indicating a need for improving farmers' skills in the application of new technology

Socio-economic and Environmental Perspectives of Sustainable Watershed Eco-System in Union Territory of Pondicherry

The study conducted in the Karaikal region of the Union Territory of Pondicherry during 2004-05 has made a comparison of watershed and conventional systems. The crop diversification index has been found 0.28 in watershed and 0.32 in the conventional system. The study has revealed that nearly all the farmers in the watershed and only 40 per cent in the conventional system apply organic fertilizers. Moreover, farmers apply more fertilizers in the conventional (235 kg/ha) than watershed (210 kg/ha) system. The index of yield stability for all the crops has been found to be 0.98 in the watershed and 0.84 in the conventional system. The gross return has been found higher by 11.65 per cent, and net return by 32.18 per cent in the watershed than the conventional system. The input self-sufficiency ratio has been found to be 0.52 in the watershed and 0.47 in the conventional system. The analysis has indicated that if the agricultural income were considered, there has been no significant variation in food security in the two systems. The analysis has further revealed that there is a potential in promoting watershed system of farming for which it is necessary to devise policies that will provide incentives to watershed farmers both directly and indirectly. Until effective biological measures of soil fertilization are introduced, polices could be adopted to promote the application of biological and chemical fertilizers in a balanced way, so as to maintain soil structure and sustain or increase crop yields