Rice cultivation has declined in Kerala for the last four decades. The gross cropped area of rice in Kerala shrunk from around 9 lakh hectares in 1974-75 to less than 2 lakh hectares in 2015-16. There is, however, a traditional rice-growing region where rice cultivation continues, and is characterised by rising levels of productivity.
Women’s Domestic Work: A Report from Alabujanahalli Village, Karnataka
In 1993, the definition of economic activity in the System of National Accounts (SNA) was extended to include unpaid work. The definition thus covered unpaid operations in agricultural production, along with the collection of firewood and fodder, fetching water, etc., whether for sale or self-consumption.
Migrant Tomato Pickers of Southern Italy
Ranjini Basu was a participant at the 10th Marx Autumn School organised by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung in Berlin from October 26 to 29, 2017. At one discussion, on the theme of “unfree labour,” a participant from Naples spoke about migrant workers from less developed countries working as tomato pickers on the farms of southern Italy.
The Tripura Model
Madhura Swaminathan and V. K. Ramachandran attempt to draw the contours of “The Tripura Model” of development based on the study of the three villages in the State of Tripura, conducted by the Foundation for Agrarian Studies in May-June 2016. The note, which has been published in The Hindu is republished here.
Electricity Tariffs and Boro Rice Cultivation in West Bengal
Groundwater is a major source of irrigation in West Bengal, with about 65 per cent of irrigated area under tube well irrigation. Under the present government, there has been a rapid hike in power tariffs for agriculture and it has affected the cultivation of summer crops in the State, particularly the cultivation of water-intensive boro (summer) paddy.
Small farmers in Indian Agriculture
This volume is a very important contribution to development studies in India and other parts of South and Southeast Asia. The dynamics of agriculture remain a critical factor in the social progress of these countries, and this careful and detailed research will provide a basis for constructing more effective development policies in India and elsewhere.
Women’s Access to Land
Women’s control over land and property is recognised to be an important factor in women’s socio-economic status and empowerment. We report some interesting results on the subject from a quick analysis of data from eight villages (located in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab and Karnataka) surveyed by the Foundation for Agrarian Studies.
Rural Women Work (At Least) 50 Hours a Week
Women work for at least 50 hours a week. This is our finding from a one-week labour diary or time-use survey conducted in Siresandra village of Kolar, Karnataka in May 2017. As part of a project on Women in Rural Production Systems, the Foundation for Agrarian Studies team interviewed 14 women on all the activities undertaken every day for a week.
How Do Small Farmers Fare? Evidence from Village Studies in India
The book titled “How Do Small Farmers Fare: Evidence from Village Studies in India”, edited by Madhura Swaminathan and Sandipan Baksi, is a study of the small farm economy in India by the Foundation for Agrarian Studies.
Misunderstanding Data, Poor Analysis, and Wrong Conclusions
A recent paper, published by the PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences of the United States) and authored by Tamma A. Carleton, titled “Climate Change and Agricultural Suicides in India” claims that “temperature during India’s main agricultural growing season has a strong positive effect on annual suicide rates.” Regrettably, the paper has received widespread uncritical coverage in the Indian media.