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

supplies. What is more interesting is that 52 per cent <strong>of</strong> the farmers from tail
reaches in the Peechi are satisfied with the canal operation schedule, which is
non-conventional, because <strong>of</strong> the much reported tail end distribution problems.
But. the Peechi project seems to be an exceptionS in this regard. But, the Kallada
project is different as a majority <strong>of</strong> the farmers are not satisfied 9 about the canal
operation schedule, as revealed by the survey data.
The foregoing discussion brings out, in general, the perceptions <strong>of</strong>
farmers about the OFD related activities in the two study projects. In this regard,
it is important to note that there are various operational constraints between the
project envisaged outcomes and the actual realisation at the farm level. While
this gives a broader spectrum <strong>of</strong> the issues and problems, it is necessary to look
at the farm specific and region-specific factors determining farm level secondary
investments in undertaking OFD in the irrigation projects.
8 This may appear to be a sharp contrast with the other canal systems as the tail reaches
are widely known for the problems <strong>of</strong> water shortage. The water release in the Peechi
canal ·,ystem is mainly intended for kole lands that are located in the tail reaches <strong>of</strong> the
project and water is released during summer months to cater to the requirements <strong>of</strong>
paddy cultivation (For a brief description <strong>of</strong> kole lands, see Chapter ~).
, This dissatisfaction emerges out <strong>of</strong> the differences in cropping pattern as well as
input use, especially use <strong>of</strong> different seeds being followed by the farmers within and
across the three reaches. The dissimilar practices are also due to delays in farming
practices caused by shortage <strong>of</strong> labour. As a result, when some farmers will be doing
harvesting, some will be doing sowing, planting and so on. This leads to conflicts <strong>of</strong>
interests among the farmers with respect to water release. For, when water is released
in the canal on the request <strong>of</strong> farmers who are doing the tilling and sowing operations,
that adversely affects the farmers who are doing harvesting and even causes crop loss.
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