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

<strong>of</strong> conversion through consolidation <strong>of</strong> holdingsl4. Group Farming is defined as
"a system <strong>of</strong> cultivation, wherein, individual farmer retains his ownership right
as well as management decision himself while as many operations as possible
are taken upon on a community basis for the maximum benefit for himself and
the group". The programme, which was launched in early 1989, visualised the
activities such as: (a) repairl deepening <strong>of</strong> irrigation wells and tanks; (b) OFD <strong>of</strong>
group farms like bunding, irrigation cum-drainage channels, etc.; (c) water
control structures like check dams, drop pits, diversion boxes, etc; (d) identify
soil problems and remedying them by supply <strong>of</strong> soil ameliorants, green manure,
etc., (e) plots to demonstrate the possibilities <strong>of</strong> achieving five tons per ha.; (0
developing community nursery; (g) ommunity action for plant protection; and
(h) any other measun:s to overcome local constraints, including extension and
training programmes.
The Group Farming lS was only a temporary success. During 1989-90,
1.73 lakh ha. area were brought under the scheme which increased to 4.2 lakh
ha. in 1990-9\. The farm groups, called' Patasekhara 16 samitis' were also formed
14 According to the Report <strong>of</strong> the Consolidation <strong>of</strong> holdings prepared by T.N.
layachandran in 1965, most <strong>of</strong> the constraints in the process <strong>of</strong> consolidation <strong>of</strong>
holdings are partly institutional and partly organisational. The report found the
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con sol idation <strong>of</strong> garden lands in the state as an impracticable proposition.
IS A pioneering study on Group Farming by Jose (1991) identifies various reasons for
the failure <strong>of</strong> group farming in Kerala. They are: increasing cost <strong>of</strong> cultivation and
declining pr<strong>of</strong>itability, distributional problems in farm inputs, problems in labour
management, increasing non-agricultural demand for land, and the farmers' preference
for leaving paddy field fallow due to declining pr<strong>of</strong>itability.
16 A Patasekharams is a group <strong>of</strong> small paddy holdings brought together for effecting
mechan isation and improved cultural operations.
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