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Central Agricultural University, College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, Umiam

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Subject: Agricultural Extension × End date: 2017 × Start date: 2017 × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Jhumias of Manipur in North-East India: a livelihood analysis
    (College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, CAU-Imphal, Umiam, 2017-09) P., Punitha; Chauhan, J. K.
    Shifting cultivation also known as Jhum practised predominantly by North East Indian farmers. The people who practise Jhum are called as Jhumias. Due to the ill effects of Jhum cultivation, since 1950s, various schemes were implemented by Government of India to eradicate Jhum. The latest scheme completed was Watershed Development Project in Shifting Cultivation Area (WDPSCA).This study endeavours to explore, to what extent the level of attachment the Jhumias have towards Jhum as a livelihood, to what extent the Jhumias depend on other source of livelihood, factors affecting it and their constraints in diversification of livelihood. Keeping in view the above consideration the present research had been conducted with the objectives viz., to assess the place attachment of Jhumias towards Jhum as a livelihood, to analyse the livelihood diversification of Jhumias, to prioritise the constraints in livelihood diversification. Mixed method research design and multistage sampling technique was used in this study. Out of total 240 respondents selected for the study, 80 respondents were selected from WDPSCA and 160 respondents were selected from Non - WDPSCA. Place attachment scale with eighteen statements was developed to assess the place attachment of Jhumias towards Jhum as a livelihood. Simpson Diversity of Index was used to measure the level of livelihood diversification. The chi-square, correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the factors influencing livelihood diversification. The Garrett ranking technique were used to prioritise the constraints in livelihood diversification. The study revealed that majority (57%) of the respondents were found to exhibit medium level of place attachment towards Jhum as a livelihood. Analysis of livelihood diversification revealed that majority (60%) of respondents in WDPSCA found to exhibit low level of livelihood diversification where as in Non-WDPSCA majority (49.37%) of respondents found to exhibit medium level of livelihood diversification. 86.30 per cent and 73.80 per cent of respondents in WDPSCA and Non-WDPSCA respectively had farm as a primary livelihood source. Jhum income constitute the highest income source among the farm income in WDPSCA and Non-WDPSCA. The multiple linear regression analysis on the factors affecting livelihood diversification revealed that the overall model was fit with 'f' value significant at 1 percent level with R2 value of 0.364. The number of livestocks, training attended on farm activities were negatively affected the livelihood diversification at 1 per cent and 5 percent level of significance respectively. Market distance was positively affected the livelihood diversification at 1 per cent level of significance. Distance to Jhum field, distance to district head quarter, Jhum size was negatively affected the livelihood diversification at 1 per cent level of significance. 'Lack of market access' were the foremost infrastructural constraint expressed by the respondents of WDPSCA and Non-WDPSCA. 'Primary livelihood activities not leaving enough time to pursue diversification strategies' followed by inadequate experience in expected livelihood activity were the social constraint expressed by WDPSCA and 'lack of role model entrepreneur in my village' were the social constraint expressed in Non-WDPSCA. Less high yielding varieties for Jhum land were the technological constraint expressed by both WDPSCA and Non-WDPSCA. Livestock activities in a larger scale, off-farm agribusiness activities, common market place for cluster of villages for Jhumias can be promoted. Soil health and water management measures, problems in management of fruits, vegetables and spices should be identified, prioritised and disseminated by KVK, ICAR, CAU to the Jhumias of Manipur.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Social networks of agricultural stakeholders on climate-smart agriculture in Meghalaya: a structural equation modelling
    (College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, CAU-Imphal, Umiam, 2017-12) Dympep, Alethea; Singh, Rajkumar Joshmee
    Climate change has already significantly impacted agriculture and is expected to further impact directly and indirectly food production. Agriculture however is not just a victim of climate change; it is directly responsible for 10–12% of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, to increase agricultural production without further increasing greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural activities, ‘climate-smart agriculture’ (CSA) has been introduced. The scaling up of CSA practices will require appropriate institutional and governance mechanisms and understanding of individual behavioral intention to adopt CSA, to disseminate information, ensure broad participation and harmonize policies. Therefore, considering the above facts, the present study was conceptualized with the following objectives: (1) To identify social networks of agricultural stakeholders on performing climate-smart agriculture. (2) To analyze the mitigative and adaptive competency of identified social networks apropos of climate-smart agriculture. (3) To develop a structural equation model fitting climate-smart hill agriculture. (4) To advocate strategies on successful implementation of the recommendations on climate-smart hill agriculture. The hill state, Meghalaya, in which the three agro-climatic zones (ACZs) of the state were, selected purposively. Out of which one most agriculturally vulnerable Community and Rural Development (C&RD) block to climate change was selected from each ACZs. Following snowball sampling, ‘n’ agricultural stakeholders were identified and a cluster of 4 villages from each classified CRDB were selected. 180 farmers were randomly selected from the respective CRDB. In the Tropical ACZ, five stakeholders involved in climate change were identified of which NGOs were found to be the key stakeholder while in Sub-tropical and Temperate ACZ, thirteen stakeholders and eleven stakeholder were identified in which ICAR(NICRA) and DoP&ED, GoM were found to be the most important stakeholder in the ACZs respectively. On analyzing the social network of the stakeholders, Farmers in Tropical ACZ, GIZ in Sub-tropical ACZ and both Farmers and GIZ in Temperate zone were found to be the central actors in the network. DoA, GoM & KVK and m4agriNEI of CoHSc, Tura & NGOs were found to be structurally equivalent in Temperate ACZ while no structural equivalence was found between the stakeholders in Sub-tropical and Temperate ACZ. The cohesive density of farmers was found to highest in Tropical ACZ followed by in Sub-tropical and Temperate ACZ. No significant difference was found on the mitigative and adaptative competency level of the identified social networks of agricultural stakeholders in all the three ACZs.Using multinomial logistic regression, independent variables- age, landholding, social cohesiveness, cosmopoliteness, communication behaviour, subjective norms, risk perception and knowledge of CSA practices were found to significantly affect competency level of the farmers. Structural equation modeling was applied and a structural path model was developed in which exogenous variables-perceived adaptive capacity and subjective norms were found to be positively influencing CSA performance of the farmers while maladaptation was observed to have a negative influence. The major constraints expressed by the farmers were the lack of profit on adapting to CSA practices and lack of government support.