Farmers' strategies to cope with marginal environment in the plateau region of Bihar, India

Date

3-1996

Abstract

This study identified and described farming strategies as well as reasons for adopting various farming techniques in response to marginal environment in Hazaribagh Bihar India. Household interviews were conducted among 300 respondents using formal interviews for one-half of them and structured informal interviews for the other half. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize socio-economic and bio-physical factors, farming systems and effects of the strategies adopted, while bivariate and canonical correlations were used to examine the degree of relationships among variables.

Majority of the respondents were small and marginal farmers. They described their farmlands as; flat (100% of the respondents ) and gently sloping (97%), less than 25% of land being fertile (70%) , more than 50% of land being drought affected (76%), more than 75% of land needing the irrigation (83%) and about 50% of land being affected by pest and diseases (63%).

Farming strategies to cope with such environment were several. Farmers used cropping systems, such as rotational cropping, mixed cropping and sequential cropping for varying primary reasons. During the rainy season, majority of the farmers chose to plant pulses, oil seeds, millets, rice and fiber crops in unfavorable lands with low soil fertility; while rice, maize, vegetables were planned in favorable lands. Traditional varieties of short duration crops were chosen for a good crop yield. Crop-livestock integration was a highly profitable enterprise for farm household. Farm yard manure was used in both unfavorable and favorable lands to improve the soil fertility and land productivity. Crop rotation in unbunded land and rotating different varieties of a crop in bunded lands were considered the best strategies to improve soil fertility. In order to overcome water insufficiency effects during cropping season, farmers used local varieties of crops that had tolerance to drought or those which could avoid it by maturing before drought set in. Indigenous practices as well as chemical pesticides were used to control pets and diseases. Farmers were also engaged in land-sharing, off farm and non farm activities in order to increase their family income.

Bivariate correlation analysis showed that all the bio-physical factors were significantly related to cropping systems, while socio-economic factors were significantly related to cropping systems, and income augmentation strategies. Canonical correlation showed highly significant relationship between different groups of variables, rejecting all the null hypotheses.

It can be concluded that these farming strategies were need-based farming for subsistence. The strategies adopted by the respondents were found not only meeting subsistence needs but also contributing to sustainable agriculture.

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Extension Education

College

Graduate School (GS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Virginia R. Cardenas

Committee Member

Obdulia F. Sison, Pura T. Depositario, Enrique P. Pacardo

Language

English

LC Subject

Farmers--Economic conditions

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 996 1996 A16 L34

Notes

Doctor of Philosophy(Extension Education)

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