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

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dynamics at the local level. Given th ...<br />

topographical characteristics, the state<br />

would need irrigati<strong>on</strong> projects with an unique design <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water distributi<strong>on</strong>,<br />

network <strong>and</strong> planning to promote systems depending up<strong>on</strong> the topography, as in<br />

the Kallada irrigati<strong>on</strong> project. Though Kallada irrigati<strong>on</strong> scheme appears to be a<br />

technically sound system suitable to the specific terrain it comm<strong>and</strong>s, the scheme<br />

could not be successfully implemented <strong>for</strong> the reas<strong>on</strong>s menti<strong>on</strong>ed already. This<br />

raIses an important questi<strong>on</strong> as to how the irrigati<strong>on</strong> systems in Kerala could be<br />

reoriented,) What should be the <strong>development</strong> priorities in the changing scenario?<br />

These are the important questi<strong>on</strong>s that policy makers should bear in mind while<br />

planning <strong>for</strong> rehabilitati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the completed projects <strong>and</strong> expediting completi<strong>on</strong><br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the <strong>on</strong>going <strong>on</strong>es.<br />

Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the expenences In the c<strong>on</strong>temporary <strong>development</strong> scenano<br />

regarding crop diversificati<strong>on</strong> need to be retlected up<strong>on</strong> to drav,i less<strong>on</strong>s <strong>for</strong><br />

future planning. For example, there are growing apprehensi<strong>on</strong>s that cultivati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

coc<strong>on</strong>ut under assured canal irrigati<strong>on</strong> may not bring the desired results, in view<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the various problems affecting stagnant per<strong>for</strong>mance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coc<strong>on</strong>ut in the state. It<br />

is relevant to note that the stagnancy in yield <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coc<strong>on</strong>ut has been persisting in<br />

spite <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the tremendous increase in area under coc<strong>on</strong>ut in the state. The important<br />

reas<strong>on</strong>s widely reported <strong>for</strong> the relatively low <strong>and</strong> stagnant yield <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coc<strong>on</strong>ut<br />

include: (i) higher proporti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> old generati<strong>on</strong> palms; (ii) lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong><br />

facilities during summer: (iii) the problem <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> root-wilt: (iv) low input use; (v)<br />

decline in average size <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coc<strong>on</strong>ut holdings; <strong>and</strong> (vi) absence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> technological<br />

innovati<strong>on</strong>.<br />

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