Artha Vijnana: Journal of The Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics

D. C. Sah , Amita Shah

Abstract

This paper seeks to answer the question why even after half a century of fertiliser use, farmers In India have not responded to soil testing service; the services that are essential for improving fertiliser use effeciency. The three Important findings of this study are as follows: First, over-use of fertilisers is widespread and Is guided by farmers' perceptions about yield response rather than soil test based recommendations. Second, farmers' yield perceptions are shaped in a chaotic environment that Is a product of inefficient farm' practices and fertiliser use techniques, constraints on yield response due to lack of complementary inputs and misconceptions and ignorance about balanced nutrient use. Thirdly, unless extension system is geared to face the challenge, the ineffeclent over-use Is unlikely to cease. These are not new findings. But their Implications are far reaching. They indicate that easy option for productivity growth have been exhausted. Productivity cannot be sustained only by applying more and more fertilisers; efficiency of Its use cannot be ignored.

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Amita Shah , D. C. Sah

Abstract

Despite technological stagnation, development of dry land agriculture bears certain special advantages. A balanced approach is therefore, essential with a significant role of dry land farming in attaining the future growth of farm production. The present analysis of Gujarat's agricultural sector, indicates that dry land farming not only contributes a significantly large share in the total agricultural output, its performance in terms of productivity is also quite encouraging. Nevertheless, the major problem is Instability of growth in the dry land region.

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D. C. Sah

Abstract

The fuel needs in rural India are exclusively met by catching solar energy through wood production. Where wood is a scarce commodity, they are met by crop residuals and animal waste. In order to bridge the gap created by scarcity of wood and industrial utilization of agricultural byproducts the relevant question is to what extent bio-gas can be relied on as an alternative source of energy.

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