The study was conducted in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan to assess the extent of use of chemical pesticides under commercial vegetable cultivation. The primary data were collected from 100 farm households across 18 villages from 2016 to 2019. Chemical insecticides were used by all farmers whereas biopesticides and botanical pesticides were used by <5% for insect pest control in vegetables. The average number of chemical pesticide sprays in a crop cycle was 14, 15, 15 and 13 in cauliflower, cabbage, tomato and pea crops respectively. Average quantity of chemical pesticides used was 4.23, 3.87, 5.16 and 3.47 kg active ingredient per hectare in cauliflower, cabbage, tomato and pea crops respectively. The study highlights the overuse and misuse of chemical pesticides in vegetable crops where the economic part is edible unlike cotton where the economic part is nonedible.The direct negative impact of chemical pesticides on health of farm workers is estimated in the paper.
This study estimated the adoption rate of Artificial Insemination (AI) among large ruminants based on primary data collected from 200 farm households in Jodhpur district from 2019 to 2022. The composition of cow and buffalo population was 74 and 26 per cent in the study villages. 56 per cent farmers in cows and 13 per cent in buffaloes adopted AI with a success rate of conception after first insemination of 31 per cent in cows and 22 per cent in buffaloes. AI cost ranged from Rs. 400-800/- and Rs. 500-1000/- per insemination in cows and buffaloes respectively. Breeding cost through pedigreed bull was comparable to insemination in both cows and buffaloes. Subsistence mode of livestock rearing and natural grazing on community pastures were the main reasons for low adoption rate of AI. Farmers ensured that their buffaloes were sired only through pedigreed bulls. Since, pedigreed bulls were not available in all villages, their availability in villages or at the selected farmers on payment basis is required for genetic improvement of cattle.
This study estimated the Terms of Trade (TOT) between the input and output prices for pearl millet, wheat, paddy and gram crops cultivated in Jaipur, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Ajmer districts respectively in Rajasthan state for the period 1996-97 to 2018-19. It was found that the Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of Procurement Price Index (PPI) and Farm Harvest Price Index (FHPI) have increased consistently for all crops with a CAGR ranging from 5-8 per cent p.a. The CAGR of Composite Input Price Index (CIPI) was always higher (ranging from 6-8% p.a.) than the PPI and FHPI indicating that the input prices have increased at a much higher rate than the output prices during the study period. Analysis revealed that TOT (ratio of PPI to CIPI and ratio of FHPI to CIPI) for all crops for most of the years was unfavourable (<100) as evident from negative CAGR (ranging from -0.15 to -2.40% p.a.). The selection of the base year in which output prices are around 150% (i.e. 1.5 times the cost of cultivation) of the composite input prices for estimating TOT is recommended. The study further explored as to why farmers cultivated these crops despite declining and negative TOT.
The dynamics of household and regional economy of Banni grasslands in India were studied based on primary data collected from 280 households across 13 villages. Each household had one primary occupation and, on average, two secondary occupations. Pastoralism and charcoal production employed 58 and 28% of households as primary occupations, respectively, whereas leather work, services and tourism employed 4% of households each. Further, pastoralism and charcoal production employed 60 and 48% of households, respectively, as secondary occupations. Highest and lowest average annual net returns were realized from the sale of milk and milk products (₹ 414,070/HH) and honey and gum collection (₹ 2827/HH), respectively. The Banni grassland is still a traditional society predominantly based on the primary sector as it employed 88% of the households and contributed 91% to the economy. Pastoralism alone contributed 82% to the economy of the Banni region followed by charcoal production (8%) and tourism (5%), whereas all other occupations contributed <1–2% each. Contribution from secondary and tertiary sectors was very low. Pastoralism has evolved in the region, but it continues to be the dominant livelihood option. Therefore, arresting and addressing the land degradation process in Banni grasslands is of paramount importance to sustain the livelihoods and the ecology.
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