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

the state has increased by about 46 per cent during the period 1952-1 'N7. net
irrigated area increased only by less than 10 per cent. The proportion <strong>of</strong> net
irrigated area is almost stagnant at 15 per cent since the 1990s. In sharp contrast,
the source-wise irrigated area indicates wide variation between area under canals
and other sources, especially wells. While the proportion <strong>of</strong> area under canal
irrigation marked sharp decline from 46 per cent in 1952 to below 30 per cent in
1997, the area irrigated by wells has increased by 108 per cent during 1980-1997.
This essentially brings out the growing mismatch between capital investment for
canal construction activities and the corresponding area expansion in the state.
II is important 10 nOle Ihal the projects were exclusively designed for
culti\ation <strong>of</strong> padd). But in reality. crop diversification has laken place un a
larger scale and the area under paddy declined over lime. There was also a
remarkabk decline in area unda crops. such as tapioca (cassava) and pulses over
the period 1960-61 to 1997-98. While the area under paddy and tapioca have
..
declined by almost by 50 per cent, that under pulses declined by about 66 per
cent. On the other hand, the area under rubber has increased by 243 per cent,
followed by arecanul. 202 per cent. banana 82 per cent. pepper 81 per cent and
coconut (77 %). While the area under other crops such as ginger and tea were
almost stagnating. it was fluctuating in the case <strong>of</strong> cashew and c<strong>of</strong>fee. It is
noteworthy that area under food crops cashew and c<strong>of</strong>fee was highly fluctuating.
Subsequently, while the share <strong>of</strong> area under food crops declined from 49 per cent
in 1975 to 25 per cenl in 199R. and that <strong>of</strong> non-food/ commercial crops increased
from 51 per cent to 75 per cent during the same period.
335