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

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loan comp<strong>on</strong>ent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Rs. 500 per ha. to c<strong>on</strong>struct drainage channels was very<br />

meager <strong>and</strong> does not match with actual requirement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Rs. 2500 to 3000 as<br />

reported by the <strong>farm</strong>ers. For instance, the expenditure per ha. at the nati<strong>on</strong>al level<br />

was fixed at Rs. 2500, which was subsequently increased to Rs. 4000 <strong>and</strong><br />

currently to Rs. 6000. Based <strong>on</strong> the Kerala experiences, this norm does not hold<br />

good because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> topographical reas<strong>on</strong>s.<br />

Farmers' percepti<strong>on</strong>s about OFD are different from what CADA expects<br />

them to do. The <strong>farm</strong>ers. by <strong>and</strong> large. have understood OFD as merely levelling<br />

the l<strong>and</strong> by filling the gullies <strong>and</strong> other depressi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> the field <strong>and</strong> providing<br />

earthen channels be<strong>for</strong>e the release <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water. The drastic decline in the size <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

operati<strong>on</strong>al holdings <strong>and</strong> uncertainty in getting timely <strong>and</strong> adequate supply <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

water has made <strong>farm</strong>ers to avoid cost intensive methods necessary <strong>for</strong> scientific<br />

OFO package as promoted by the CAOA. The <strong>farm</strong>ers resorted to undertake<br />

OFO with minimum human labour, some times <strong>on</strong>ly with family labour.<br />

An important positive externality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> canal irrigati<strong>on</strong> in general IS its<br />

c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong> to groundwater recharge. Depending up<strong>on</strong> the intensity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

groundwater recharge <strong>and</strong> its reliability <strong>farm</strong>ers have invested in dugwells <strong>for</strong><br />

irrigati<strong>on</strong> purposes. A marked improvement in the groundwater levels in Peechi<br />

comm<strong>and</strong> area has made the <strong>farm</strong>ers to undertake OFD <strong>on</strong> a limited scale, even<br />

though the cost has been high. The cost was particularly more where<br />

groundwater replenishment has been more, because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the installati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pump<br />

sets with higher capacity. However, the small <strong>and</strong> marginal <strong>farm</strong>ers need special<br />

attenti<strong>on</strong> in this respect. as many <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> them cannot af<strong>for</strong>d to have an independent<br />

pumpset <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> high capacity <strong>and</strong> even if some can af<strong>for</strong>d, it would not be<br />

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