The Foundation for Agrarian Studies (FAS) has commenced the West Godavari Round of the Project on Agrarian Relations in India (PARI) in Undi Mandal, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. The month-long field survey brings together field investigators from universities and research institutions across India, along with members of the FAS research team.

The survey is led by Arindam Das, Joint Director, FAS, with Sai Chandan Kotu, Senior Research Assistant, FAS, serving as Survey Coordinator. The first stage of fieldwork consists of training on household listing, followed by a complete household listing in the two study villages of Panduvva and Yendagandi. Based on the household listing, a representative sample of households will be selected for the main survey.

Field investigators will then undergo intensive training for the detailed household survey, which will collect comprehensive information on agrarian relations, agricultural production and incomes, inland aquaculture, employment, labour, and standards of living. The research is being undertaken in a region with two main sectors of production: irrigated lowland rice cultivation and inland aquaculture, the latter being perhaps the most advanced and profitable sector of its kind in India.