Crop diversification and its impact on farming households of Manipur: a micro-level study
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Date
2017-11
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College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, CAU-Imphal, Umiam
Abstract
Diversification of crops towards high value crop is no more a novel concept to the farming communities of the landlocked state Manipur. It is often suggested as a viable solution to stabilize and raise farm income, increase employment opportunities, nutritional security, conserve and enhance natural resource base when combined with the comparative advantage of the region. Taking into consideration, the gains associated with crop diversification, the present study analyzed the extent; identify the factors and impact of crop diversification at household level. A sample of total 200 households were selected from four villages of Kakching C.D. block, Thoubal district and five villages of Ukhrul C.D. block, Ukhrul district using PPS. Simpson Index of diversification was used to find out the extent of crop diversification while Tobit model was adopted to identify the factors influencing crop diversification. Heckman Sample Selection Model was used to estimate the impact of crop diversification on household’s food and nutritional security. The study found that about 58 per cent of the total households in Thoubal district had high level of crop diversification followed by medium level while in case Ukhrul district about 41 per cent of the total households exhibit high level of crop diversification followed by low level. The significant factors that drive households’ decision to diversify crop in Thoubal district were farm size, dependency ratio, availability of tools and machineries, access to fertilizer, availability of HYV or improved seeds, access to irrigation facility, farming information and market distance whereas, in Ukhrul district, age of the household head, family size, education of the household head, access to plough, access to farming information, training attended and market distance were the significant drivers affecting crop diversification. The study also found that households with sample average characteristics who selects into diversification secures 4.36 per cent higher food security than a household drawn at random from the population with the average set of characteristics. But challenges like labour shortage, inadequate availability of inputs, lack of irrigation facility, proper storage, and marketing facility which will favor or increase crop diversification are still prevalent in different regions of the state due to varied topographical and climatic difference within the state. Hence, improvement of infrastructure (regulated markets, storage, roads) as high value crops are perishable in nature, distinctive location specific inputs, infrastructures and extension services can enhance crop diversification at household level.
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Keywords
Economic development, Crop diversification