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

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eported by CADA <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficials, have to be necessarily c<strong>on</strong><strong>for</strong>med to the norms <strong>and</strong><br />

guidelines stipulated by the Government <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> India. But due to the special<br />

c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s prevailing in Kerala, such as undulating topography. high cost <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> account <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> high cost <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> transportati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> materials, high lahour<br />

charges, high density <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> populati<strong>on</strong>, etc., it is not possible to cover the targeted<br />

area with the given investment allocati<strong>on</strong>. As a result, some ayacut <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

project will be left without OFD works, even after spending the full amount<br />

allotted to a project as per norms <strong>for</strong> coverage <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the entire ayacut <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> that project.<br />

The discussi<strong>on</strong> so far reveals that the awareness levels <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>farm</strong>ers about<br />

the need <strong>for</strong> <strong>and</strong> importance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> OFD are fairly high. However, its progress at the<br />

<strong>farm</strong> level is not up to the expected levels. The complexities <strong>and</strong> dynamics<br />

related to the design <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the projects, cropping pattern envisaged <strong>and</strong> realised,<br />

c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water distributi<strong>on</strong> networks, crop diversificati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> the<br />

c<strong>on</strong>sequent changes in water balance <strong>and</strong> so <strong>on</strong> are wide <strong>and</strong> varied. The<br />

important instituti<strong>on</strong>al, socio-ec<strong>on</strong>omic, technical <strong>and</strong> management related<br />

c<strong>on</strong>straints noticed in the <strong>development</strong>, distributi<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> management <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />

water resources in Kerala call <strong>for</strong> a judicious plan <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> acti<strong>on</strong> <strong>for</strong> the irrigati<strong>on</strong><br />

sector. It is more so because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the changing scenario <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> agricultural<br />

<strong>development</strong> in the state. The effectiveness <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> planning, however,<br />

depends up<strong>on</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>ing <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the ground realities associated with crop based<br />

l<strong>and</strong> use dynamics in irrigati<strong>on</strong> projects <strong>and</strong> its implicati<strong>on</strong>s in efficient<br />

utilisati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water resources. A n<strong>on</strong>-c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>al approach to irrigati<strong>on</strong> sector<br />

<strong>development</strong> may prove to be a feasible propositi<strong>on</strong>, taking into account the<br />

agro-c1imatic as well as ecological variables, wherein irrigati<strong>on</strong> projects are<br />

situated.<br />

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