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

have no easy accessibility to water. it is obvious that they have not taken up
OFD.
Another important factor contributing to the non-adoption <strong>of</strong> OFD in the
Kallada is the crop shift from paddy to rubber. Since rubber is a rainfed crop,
farmers do not feel the need for OFD. However, as observed earlier. the
productivity <strong>of</strong> rubber is relatively high in developed plots than in undeveloped
plots. though it is a rainfed crop.
Regarding the current status <strong>of</strong> functioning <strong>of</strong> MCS. 30 per cent <strong>of</strong> the
farmers from the head and 26 per cent from the middle reaches felt that MCS has
become defunct due to broken water distribution net works. Improper design <strong>of</strong>
the system. not conforming to the ground realities is another problem. For
example. the hydrants are fixed at lower layers <strong>of</strong> the plot and crops are grown in
upper layers. This is a major problem in the head reaches as reported by 29 per
cent <strong>of</strong> the farmers. followed by 26 per cent in the tail reach and 22 per cent in
the middle. Lack <strong>of</strong> adequate pressure in the flow <strong>of</strong> water is also reported as a
major problem across the three reaches. Timely repair or replacement <strong>of</strong> the
broken parts <strong>of</strong> the distribution systems is hardly attended to. This is partly due
to farmers indifference to bring it to the notice <strong>of</strong> the department. since they are
not using the system.
Thus. various problems rangmg from technical to management have
contributed to the less efficient functioning <strong>of</strong> the MCS. though a limited
potential <strong>of</strong> the system is actually utilised. The technical sophistication. with
which MCS has been installed and practical difficulties to use it effectively
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