India’s agriculture has hardly grown after 2011. If we consider the gross value added in agriculture, annual growth rates over the previous year were 1.5 per cent in 2012-13, 4.2 per cent in 2013-14, -0.2 per cent in 2014-15 and 1.2 per cent in 2015-16. Growth rates in agriculture were to revive in 2016-17, but there is deep uncertainty due to the disruptive consequences of demonetisation.
De-Regulation of Tenancy in Rural India
Tenancy reform was an important component of land reform in post-Independence India, and in most States, leasing of agricultural land — or tenancy — is legally regulated or, in some cases, banned altogether. Now the Niti Aayog has published a Report of the Expert Committee on Land Leasing, chaired by T. Haque (Government of India 2016). The main argument of the Report is that land leasing be deregulated.
How do Small Farmers Fare in India?
Arindam Das and I have worked with detailed household level empirical data from 17 villages across nine States of India to examine the viability of small farming. We defined small farmer households as households engaged predominantly in cultivation but with less than two hectares of irrigated land or six hectares of unirrigated land (or combinations thereof).
Pulse Consumption in India
India has a large population of undernourished people. They suffer from calorie, protein, and micronutrient deficiency. In 2014, 37 per cent of children under 5 were reported to be stunted and 34 per cent were underweight (National Family and Health Survey-4 for 17 major states).
A Note on Absolute Poverty in Kerala
The Human Development Index for Kerala was 0.911, a high value and similar to the performance of many advanced countries. These achievements are undeniably due to effective public action by the State.
What the Clean India Mission Needs to Do
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) conducted a Rapid Survey on Swachhata (or “cleanliness”) Status along with the 72nd round (July 2014-June 2015). The purpose of this survey was to take stock of and assess the countrywide situation with regard to cleanliness and hygiene.
The Contribution of Agriculture to Rural Livelihoods
Is agriculture becoming less important for employment, incomes and livelihoods of people in rural India and for the Indian economy as a whole? The answer depends on the way in which the role and contribution of agriculture is measured.
Monsoon in Marathwada – Hopes Belied: The Case of Osmanabad District
In the last few years, Maharashtra has faced severe drought. Within Maharashtra, the Marathwada region lies in the rain shadow zone, receiving an average annual rainfall of around 750 mm. Beed, Latur, and Osmanabad districts in Marathwada receive rainfall that is lower than the average for Marathwada.
Migration and the Changing Structure of the Rural Economy of Bihar
Migration of workers from rural areas of Bihar to other parts of India has grown steadily. In a paper published in the Economic and Political Weekly (July 30, 2016), Amrita Datta argues that migration has played a key role in determining the economic and social structure of rural Bihar in recent times.
Income from Forests
A relatively new concept in the literature on rural household incomes is that of income from forests and from environment services. Forest income is defined as income from forest produce (other than plantations) including produce collected for fuel, food, fodder, construction, medicine, and other uses.
