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economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

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a <strong>farm</strong>er to use water from the distributory canal. Since the <strong>farm</strong>ers have no easy<br />

access to water, it is obvious that they would tend to neglect OFD.<br />

Another important factor c<strong>on</strong>trihuting to the n<strong>on</strong>-adopti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> OFD is the<br />

crop shift from paddy to rubber. Since rubber is a rainfed crop, <strong>farm</strong>ers do not<br />

feel the need <strong>for</strong> OFD. However, as observed earlier, the productivity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> rubber<br />

is relatively high in developed plots than in undeveloped plots, though it is a<br />

rainfed crop2 There is not much variati<strong>on</strong> in the reas<strong>on</strong>s cited by the <strong>farm</strong>ers <strong>for</strong><br />

n<strong>on</strong>-adopti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> OFD across the locati<strong>on</strong>s, except in the middle reaches, where<br />

the proporti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>farm</strong>ers indicating all the four reas<strong>on</strong>s is relatively less at 7 per<br />

cent, compared to 23 per cent in the head reaches <strong>and</strong> 16 per cent in the tail end.<br />

Lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> finance seems to be no c<strong>on</strong>straint at all as revealed by a very marginal<br />

propurti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>farm</strong>ers reporting it, ranging between three per cent in the middle<br />

reaches <strong>and</strong> 9 per cent in the head reaches. It may be noted that the income from<br />

rubber cultivati<strong>on</strong> always has a positive impact <strong>on</strong> the liquidity positi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

<strong>farm</strong>ers.<br />

[n Kallada project, the MCS design by the agency (the state Irrigati<strong>on</strong><br />

Department) is in itself an innovative OFD suitable to the steeply undulating<br />

topography. Since the cost is borne entirely by the department), <strong>farm</strong>ers do not<br />

2 As rubber is grown in undulating topography or high elevati<strong>on</strong> areas, the intensity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

soil erosi<strong>on</strong> caused by heavy rainfall would be very high, which would deplete the soil<br />

nutrient status. Given this problem, it is always beneficial to undertake l<strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>development</strong> to avoid these problems. But, due to the labour costs involved, <strong>farm</strong>ers<br />

are reluctant to do so.<br />

) Though the cost <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> MCS works was proposed to be partially recovered f.elm the<br />

beneficiary <strong>farm</strong>ers, no part <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the cost has been recovered from the <strong>farm</strong>ers. The<br />

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