Small Landowners Research Articles

Farmers’ Perception of Causes and Consequences of their Indebtedness in Haryana, India

Abstract Subject and purpose of work: The study aims to highlight the perception of farmers regarding the causes and consequences of their indebtedness. Materials and methods: The study was based on primary data collected (by field survey) from a sample of 600 farmers. With regards to the selection of farmers or respondents, the proportionate sampling technique was employed. Percentage technique was used for data analysis. The data were collected in the first quarter of 2021. Results: It was found that 95.67% of the farmers (out of 600) reported low prices for agricultural output as being the main cause of their indebtedness, followed by crop failure (89.00%), the high cost of inputs (85.00%), high interest rates (61.17%) and small landholdings (58.83%). In addition, consequences reported by loanee farmers were deterioration in their social status (67.83%) and psychological stress (57.67%). However, positive changes experienced by farmers after repaying a loan were less than the negative experiences. Conclusions: The main causes of farmers’ indebtedness were crop failure and the high cost of inputs compared to the price of their produce. Due to their indebtedness, their economic and social status deteriorated and they experienced the feeling of insecurity.

Land ownership in the Bezhetskaya Pyatina (Tver Region) at the end of the Novgorod independence period: localization in GIS

The article gives the historical and geographical characteristics of the Novgorod land ownership on the territory of the the Bezhetskaya Pyatina in Tver Region. The main sources of the research are the scribal books of 1498/99 and 1545 years. The work was carried out using geoinformation technologies based on the previously performed localization of toponyms of scribal descriptions of 1498/99 and 1545. Using the Voronoi Polygons module and further combining polygons on the basis of belonging to a specific landowner, an idea was obtained about the spatial location of the land holdings of the Novgorod boyars, residents, fellow countrymen, monasteries and the Novgorod archbishop in the churchyards-districts of Pyatina. The web gis is available on the Internet on the website of the Laboratory of Historical Geoinformatics of the IVI RAS. The composition of landholdings (a single territory or separate enclaves) is analyzed. Localization made it possible to establish that a number of relatives' possessions were located compactly, which made it possible to identify family possessions belonging to Yuryev, Ovinov, etc., dating back to large single patrimony of common ancestors. The largest by area were the vladychnaya volost of Udomlya and the volost of Ivan Loshinsky's Slezkino. There is also excessive land ownership by the end of the period of independence of Novgorod. The concentration of small landholdings of foreigners and those living in the west of Pyatina, in the Mlevsky churchyards, was also revealed. The data obtained as a result of the use of gis technologies on the size of land holdings were compared with information on the number of settlements in them from scribal books. The population indicators obtained for the most fully localized volosts on average amount to 0.4-0.7 settlements per 1 sq. km. The territories with the highest (in the south of Pyatina and in the basins of the Medveditsa and Mologa rivers and their small tributaries) and the lowest (in the north) indicators of population were identified. After the annexation of Novgorod to Moscow, almost all landholdings were confiscated and distributed to estates that were not comparable in size to the old volosts.

The implications of remittances for agricultural land use and fuelwood collection: evidence from the remaining forested landscapes in the Philippines

Despite the projected sharpest decline in remittances in history due to the global economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, remittances are expected to remain an important source of external financing for many developing countries. The Philippines is among the top five recipients of remittances worldwide, while outmigration is an important livelihood strategy for rural communities in the country due to rapid population growth, poor employment opportunities, and scarce agricultural land. Migration and remittances can influence smallholder land use with potential implications for forest resource use through an impact on household income and household decisions on local activities. However, little attention has been paid in previous research to how remittances relate to changes in rural households’ land use and their implications for forests. The goal of this study is to investigate the links between the inflow of both international and internal remittances and rural households’ land use in forested landscapes in the Philippines. In order to do that, we use the data from 1024 household surveys and an instrumental variable approach to investigate the impact of remittances on fuelwood use and on the area cultivated by perennials and cereals. The findings of this study show that remittances positively influence the size of land planted by perennials and reduce households’ reliance on fuelwood use. Our findings provide an improved understanding of the links between migration—remittances—natural resource management, which will become especially relevant as countries struggle to deal with the economic fallout associated with COVID-19. We argue that demographic policy measures should play a bigger role in land use, land use change, and forestry negotiations than before. Moreover, global sustainability agendas such as the sustainable development goals should recognize the impacts of migration on natural resources to help bridge the gap between developmental and environmental goals.

Training of Small Farmers and Minority Agroforestry Landowners in Southeastern US – an Evolving Model

Traditionally, extension activities are aimed at the transferal of knowledge from professionals to small-farmers and landowners. This process is supported by the Forestry Extension Model (FEM), which posit that professionals know what small-farmers and landowners need to learn, are the most credible source of land management information, and that small-farmers’/landowners’ education leads to sustainable land management practices. Although recent studies have supported a shift to peer-to-peer landowner education, there is still a need for initial professional-to-small-farmer/landowner training. Many underserved landowners lack forestry knowledge and practice and are usually unfamiliar with the available federal and state programs and resources. Therefore, they would require training before mentoring fellow small-farmers/landowners and gaining access to available resources. This paper, based in part on the results of a questionnaire survey and small-famers/landowners training initiatives, outlines elements of an evolving ‘landowners training model’ – a model where aspects of the FEM have been applied in a setting conducive to peer-to-peer mentoring.

In memory of Professor N. A. Gerken

Professor Nikolai Alexandrovich Gerke n is a native of Kazan province. He was born on December 18, 1863 in the family of a small landowner. He received his secondary education at the Kazan gymnasium, which he graduated from in 1882. In the same year he entered the Physics and Mathematics Faculty of St. Petersburg University, but for "freethinking" he was expelled from the capital to Kazan, where in 1883 he entered the Faculty of Medicine After graduating from the latter in May 1888, NA Gerken entered the district doctor in the Spassky district of Kazan province, where he worked as a district doctor until 1891, focusing mainly on surgical and eye diseases.

The Kerala floods of 2018 – exploring the socio-economic characteristics of flood affected dairy farmers in Ernakulam and Thrissur districts

An ex post facto investigation into the socio economic characteristics of the flood affected dairy farmers of Ernakulam and Thrissur districts was carried out during the months of October to December in 2020. Ten villages each were selected at random from Ernakulam and Thrissur districts and 75 livestock farmers each from the selected villages were studied. A cross sectional survey design was employed for the study in which data were collected using pretested structured interview schedules. Analysis of data on the socio-economic characteristics of the affected farmers revealed that 79.3 per cent were members of nuclear families and that 60 per cent of them fell in the age group 40-59 years. It was also evident that 56.7 per cent of the affected farmers were women. The educational status of most of the respondents ranged from middle school (25.3 %) to Secondary School (24.7%). Dairying as a primary occupation was reported by 79.3 per cent of the respondents and this was not a new venture for the vast majority of respondents as evidenced by the fact that 86.7 per cent of the them had been engaged in this activity for over 30 years. The annual income from animal husbandry for 48.7 per cent of respondents was between Rupees 30,000 and Rupees 60,000. Majority of the respondents were small land holders (86%) reporting low levels of material possession (69.3%). Many respondents gone through the serious hardship at their relief along with psychologically depressed, so that the intervention of government during post flood is at most important.

Multivariate Typology of Osmanabadi Goat Farming in its Home Tract: A Cluster Analysis

The study was conducted to identify the typology of the Osmanabadi goat-keeping households and farms in a home tract of the breed during 2020-21. Hierarchical and K mean clustering techniques were used to classify 107 households into three homogenous clusters. In extensively large flock keeping households with large landholdings (C1, n=25, 23%), the respondents were using scientific practices to a great extent than the households with extensively keeping small flock with small landholdings (C3, n=59, 55%). Goat rearing was being the sole farm activity of relatively more households in C3, where primarily women had control over farm decisions and returns than the households who semi-intensively kept medium flock with medium landholding (C2, n=23, 22%). Households in C3 were mostly using open sheds, had lower goat income than the rest of the clusters. Households in C2 were higher in employment generation than households in C3. The typologies of Osmanabadi goat-keeping households showed significant heterogeneity in clusters and critical points which need to be considered to find sustainable solutions. Government policies and extension approaches are likely to be more effective if they consider the heterogeneity in the planning and delivery of extension interventions.

When crop producers face dynamic climate risks in Ethiopia: exploring determinants behind choices of adaptation strategies

Farmers in Ethiopia frequently adopt different combinations of local adaptation strategies to fight against climate change and other economic stresses. This study contributes to the existing research by identifying determinants behind the choice of adaptation strategies in 2 districts of Ethiopia. Data on demographics, socio-economics, biophysical characteristics as well as adaptation strategies were collected through in-depth household surveys using structured and semi-structured questionnaires. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 340 households for the interviews. Data were analysed through the application of a multinomial logistic regression model. The results show that male-headed households who recognize climate change as a result of having access to weather information delivered by extension agents, are more likely to choose improved crop varieties compared to female-headed households. Such characteristics of farmers also significantly influence the choice of using crop diversification strategies, including mixed use of maize with legumes. Farmers who have large landholdings are less likely to diversify crop production and income strategies compared to farmers with smaller landholdings. The results suggest that farmers can significantly contribute to local-based adaptation policy formulation and support resilience building. However, more socio-economic and institutional support for farmers in terms of research, innovation and awareness creation should be provided.

RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY OF WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) PRODUCTION IN KAILALI DISTRICT, NEPAL

Wheat is the third most important cereal crop of Nepal. Efficient use of resources is of much concern from economic point of view to increase the production level and maximize return. A study was carried out in the Kailali district with objective to examine resource use efficiency of wheat production. Total 120 wheat growing farmers were randomly selected. Data analysis was done via descriptive and statistical tools incluing Cobb-Douglas production function. Farmers were categorized into large farmer (n=46,) and small farmer (n=74). The average area under wheat production was 28.81 kattha/household. The overall average production was 1.08 qt/kattha. The benefit cost ratio was found out to be 1.43. The wheat productivity was 1.08 quintal/ha. The Benefit cost ratio of large land holder farmer (1.52) was higher than small land holder farmers (1.38) due to economies of scale. The regression coefficient (0.63) implied that tillage had significant positive effect on production of wheat with estimated decreasing return to scale (0.93). Other variables like seed, fertilizers, irrigation, and labour were found statistically non-significant. Adoption of farm machineries for better tillage, use of sustainable nutrient management techniques with recommended dose of quality wheat seed would increase the productivity and profitability of wheat farmers of the study area.

Design and development of multipurpose power tiller gear box for paddy cultivation

It is found that farmers cultivate small landholdings by traditional method. Further, the total holding of land is not located in one place, rather, it is scattered as split plots in several places. This often restricts power operated tilling, seeding and harvesting machines to perform at optimal efficiency. Even two wheel tractors, reapers and combines face tremendous problems of frequent turnings in such fragmented lands. On the other hand, most of the rural people are poor and hardly can buy a costly machine individually. They use these machines in their own lands and also operate them on hiring basis in others’ lands and earn a substantial return. But, the number of such farmers is limited. Providing efficient and improved small machineries to the present day farmers is the need of the hour. In order to achieve the maximum returns, these small gadgets need to be designed and developed efficiently and tested thoroughly to ascertain their field performance before they reach to the farmers. The proposed idea implements the Vehicle to perform the functions such as tilling, transplanting, harvesting, water pumping, transportation, mud levelling and seed drilling. These functions can be integrated into a single vehicle with multi attachments run with the help of power take off. This project report describes the conceptual design of multipurpose power tiller with tilling, transplanting and harvesting attachment. Simplified transmission system gear box has been designed and analysed based on the region specific requirement on the tiller. Further it details the calculation of required speed ratio and structure of all 1st, 2nd, 3rd, reverse gear and power take off systems designed using CREO-parametric and solid works software. Theoretical stress analysis of the gears is calculated by Lewis bending equation (bending stress), Hertz theory of contact stress and Ansys software to find out the overall robustness of the gear system.

ENHANCING ADOPTION OF AGRO FORESTRY IN THE NORTH WESTERN AGRO ECOLOGICAL ZONE OF TAMIL NADU

The present study was undertaken in North Western Zone of Tamil Nadu, to analyze the factors determining the agro-forestry and problems faced by them in adoption of agroforestry practices. Primary data were collected through a pre-structured questionnaire from a sample of 300 respondents who were selected using multi-stage random sampling technique. Data analysis was done by using simple percentages, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) multiple regression analysis, perception index and weighted score method. Most of the farmers in study area have positive perception towards adoption of agroforestry practices. The goal of this study was to determine the characteristics that influence the adoption of agroforestry by small and marginal farmers. Crop diversification, Increasing soil fertility, Improve soil and water conservation, Long time taken to get income from forestry, high returns and Reduce chances of crop failure were the major motivational factor, whereas small landholding size, lack of awareness and poor knowledge, poor market accessibility, lack of subsidy, credit facility, lack of good quality planting material and longer gestation period of trees were the major problems faced by the farmers in the study area. Thus, study suggested that farmers can be encouraged to practice agroforestry through improved mobilizing farmers to join groups, improving the quality and coverage of extension services, consideration of gender issues and intensifying agro forestry training among farmers with low levels of education groups and distribution of quality planting material to farmers.

Кутицкие и Васичинские в Галицкой земле XV в.: опыт изучения шляхетских родов русинского происхождения

The article deals with the genealogy of noblemen of Rusinian origin in Galicia, Russian Voivodeship of the Polish Kingdom in the 15th century (the east of Chervonaya (Red) Rus, now Ivano-Frankivsk Region of Ukraine mainly). The author analyses the specificity and flaws of sources on this topic. The high proportion of small landowners of Rusinian origin is emphasized as an important feature of the Galician gentry, which explains why, after the introduction of Polish law (and gentry self-government) in Chervona Rus, the Galician judge and arbitrator were for many years the gentry of Rusinian origin Ignat Kutitsky (1438-1471) and Stibor Vasichinsky (1435-1459). The author studies the history of these two families in the 15th century: their blood ties, landowning, relations with neighbors. Before 1435, their members converted from Orthodoxy to Catholicism, but failed to polonize in the second half of the 15th century. The confirmation of the forged act of the Galician-Volhynian Prince Lev to the ancestor of the Vasichinskies by the King in 1550-1558 shows that the polonized descendants of the Galician boyars remembered about their Rusinian roots even in the middle of the 16th century.

Factors influencing commercialisation among smallholder cabbage farmers of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality of South Africa: A Cragg Double-Hurdle model approach

Literature suggests that there are high levels of commercialisation by even the poorest and smallest landholders within the horticulture subsector in most rural Africa. Thus, the notion of poor commercialisation among smallholder farmers is now being challenged. Against this background,this paper estimated factors that influence commercialisation by smallholder cabbage farmers in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study used a cross-sectional survey of120 smallholder cabbage farmers obtained through a multistage sampling procedure. A Cragg double-hurdle model was applied to analyse the factors that influence the commercialisation decision and intensity of commercialisation. In the first stage, the result of the probit regression model revealed that gender, age, access to informal credit and area planted were significant factors towards influencing smallholder cabbage farmers’ commercialisation decisions. In the second stage, the results of the truncated regression model revealed that family size and area planted were the key factors determining the intensity of commercialisation. Hence, the attempts to improve smallholder farmers’ cabbage commercialisation should be guided by these significant explanatory variables in the study area, given the low commercialisation index revealed.

Gravity Fed Micro Irrigation System for Small Landholders and Its Impact on Livelihood - A Review

Worldwide pressurized micro irrigation technologies have remarkably shown its effectiveness in water saving and increasing the crop yield with several other benefits. Although among the small land holder farmers, adoption of pressurized micro irrigation system is minimal mainly due to the small land holding and more system cost. Gravity micro irrigation is one of the best alternatives for the small land holder farmers with almost all benefits derived by the pressurized micro irrigation. Gravity fed drip irrigation has enormous capability for water and nutrient conservation. This review paper explains design, layout, features of gravity fed micro irrigation system, its suitability and benefits to the small farmers for achieving more yield per drop of water. The comprehensive attempt in the current review analysis is to enhance a most favourable methodology and technology to magnify and intensify the operation of gravity fed drip irrigation system in extensive cultivation and production. Further to accomplish the efficient utilization of available water resources for growing horticultural crops in hilly region of India, gravity-fed micro irrigation should be integrated with water harvesting system.

"Deeply Human, Fundamentally Social": Fascism and Internal Colonization in Badajoz Province during the Early Franco Dictatorship

This article explores the ambition of the Franco regimes National Institute of Colonization (INC) to remake the countryside through irrigation and settlement. It focuses on the human side of this project, arguing that Spains colonization effort was fundamentally fascist in its aim to ensure the success of a nationalized and politically loyal segment of the rural population. It argues that the agricultural engineers of the INC inserted themselves as paternalistic authorities in the countryside, managing a carefully chosen portion of the peasantry. As the INC worked to begin its large-scale colonization schemes in the 1950s, it sought to determine which towns suffered from a social problem caused by the unemployment of tenants and small-property owners rather than landless laborers. In spite of the technical rhetoric of the engineers, with their stress on productivity and rationalizing land use, this article will demonstrate that certain political and moral considerations remained paramount throughout the process.

Dilemma of Development: Impact of Small Landholding Size on Economic Development with Special Reference to Scheduled Caste Population in Azamgarh

Small-scale farming is important as it is the chief provider of livelihood to poor people, especially in a developing country like India. Thus, investments in increasing farm productions from small and intensively cultivated land are important for reducing global poverty. Based on primary survey, landholding size of Scheduled Caste population in different blocks of Azamgarh district were analysed for this study. The study shows that SC farmers still face economic deprivation in the form of small farm size that is detrimental to their social and economic growth.

THE THE SWAPPING APPROACH IN THE COURSE OF LAND CONSOLIDATION: CASE STUDY OF UKRAINE

The paper is concerned with the issues of the voluntary land consolidation using the exchange method at land relations reforming. The objective of the article is the substantiation of the exchange method aiming at the large and small land owners (land users) land tenure optimization and the formation of approaches with the help of which the mutual alignment of their interests can be achieved. Land plot ownership and tenure rights exchange by the relative value has been substantiated. It is suggested to define the relative value based on the principle of juxtaposition of land plots by their qualitative, spatial and technological characteristics. The land plots exchange modelling has been improved according to the relative value application and due to the existing land plots boundaries retaining at the exchange. The effectiveness of the suggested land plots exchange method has been demonstrated at the land tenure optimization of an agricultural enterprise and some households in Kyiv Region. Alternative land consolidation projects based on the land plots exchange have been developed, the results of which demonstrate the advantages of the voluntary land consolidation based on the suggested methodology.

Finger Millet Production in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Problem Diagnosis, Key Challenges and Recommendations for Breeding

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) is a highly nutritious crop, predominantly grown in the semi-arid tropics of the world. Finger millet has a niche market opportunity due to its human health benefits and being rich in calcium, iron and dietary fiber and gluten-free. Ethiopia is the center of the genetic diversity of the crop. However, the productivity of finger millet in the country is low (<2.4 tons ha−1) compared with its potential yield (6 tons ha−1). The yield gap in Ethiopia is due to a range of biotic and abiotic stresses and socio-economic constraints that are yet to be systemically documented and prioritized to guide future production and improved variety development and release. The objective of this study was to document finger millet production opportunities, constraints and farmer-preferred traits in Ethiopia as a guide to variety design in improvement programs. A participatory rural appraisal (PRA) study was undertaken in six selected districts of the Southern Nation Nationalities People Region (SNNPR) and Oromia Region in Ethiopia. Data were collected from 240 and 180 participant farmers through a semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussion, respectively. Finger millet was the most important crop in the study areas grown mainly for a combination of uses, including for food, feed and cash (reported by 38.8% of respondent farmers), food and feed (14.5%), food and cash (13.7%), food (11.5%) and food, cash, feed and construction material (9.7%). Hand weeding was used by 59.2% of the respondent farmers, followed by hand weeding and chemical herbicides (40.8%). Finger millet was mainly planted as a sole crop (reported by 97.0% respondents), mixed (1.7%) and sole and mixed (1.3%). About 75.6% of respondent farmers only practiced finger millet rotation with other crops. Respondent farmers indicated their source of fresh seed was from the Bureau of Agriculture (49.1%), farmer-to-farmer seed exchange (22.1%), own saved seed (7.5%), local producers (7.5%), research institutions (5.8%), unknown sources (4.1%), local market (3.5%) and cooperatives (0.42%). The total cost of finger millet production per hectare was calculated at 1249 USD with a total income of 2139 USD/ha, making a benefit to cost ratio of 1.71:1.00 and indicating the relatively low yield gains using the currently grown varieties. The main constraints to finger millet production in the study areas were drought stress (reported by 41.3% respondents), lack of improved varieties (12.9%), lack of financial resources (11.3%), small land holdings (10.8%), limited access to seed (10.0%), a shortage of fertilizers (5.4%), poor soil fertility (4.6%), shortage of draught power (1.3%), labour shortages (1.3%) and high labour costs (1.3%). The most important farmer-preferred traits in a finger millet variety were high grain yield, compact head shape, ‘enjera’-making quality, high marketability and early maturity, resolved through principal component analysis. The above-mentioned production constraints and farmer-preferred traits are strategic drivers to enhance finger millet productivity and need to be incorporated into Ethiopia’s finger millet breeding and technology development.

Typology of rice-based cropping systems for improved soil carbon management: Capturing smallholder farming opportunities and constraints in Dinajpur, Bangladesh

Characterization of smallholder land resource endowment and cropping practice can assist in the implementation of a more tailored approach to Soil Carbon Management (SCM). Land resource and cropping practice data, stratified by soil physiography, was collected through a survey involving 83 farmers in four upazila of Dinajpur district, Bangladesh. The aim was to determine a farming system typology based on smallholder land resource endowment and cropping practices, and to consider the likelihood of soil carbon improvement under the typology. A Cluster Analysis was performed using data on seven variables that combined land resource (physiography, land type, landholding, farm size) and cropping practice (cropping system, cropping intensity, crop rotation) characteristics to determine a farming system typology. The resulting typology, referred to as Soil Carbon Improvement Likelihood (SCIL), identified three different farming system types. These were then assessed with regard to their potential for improving soil carbon in these systems. The most prevalent SCIL, Medium SCIL (Type 1, 42%) consists of the maize-rice, wheat-rice and veg.-rice cropping systems in the HL areas of the Piedmont plain, Floodplain and Terrace. It is managed with high fertilization, low crop rotation and low to medium crop residue retention. The next most prevalent SCIL, Low SCIL (Type 3, 30%) consists of a rice-rice cropping system in the HL and MHL areas of the Piedmont plain, Floodplain and Terrace, and is managed with medium fertilization, no crop rotation and limited residue retention. The least prevalent farming system type, the High SCIL (Type 2, 28%) consists of crop-diversified and mustard-rice cropping systems in the MHL areas of the Floodplain and Terrace, which is managed with high fertilization, crop rotation and high crop residue retention. This study showed that cropping systems with higher crop intensification and high retention of crop residue, on the Floodplain soil physiography and MHL land inundation type, provide the greatest opportunity for improved SCM, but were represented by less than one-third of the farmers (n = 20) in this survey. These farmers were also mainly private landholders. The typology presented here can potentially serve as a practical framework for delineating cropping systems and management under particular land resource settings to undertake more targeted innovations and SCM priorities in Rice-based Cropping Systems.

In the Struggle: Scholars and the Fight Against Industrial Agribusiness in California

In the Struggle: Scholars and the Fight Against Industrial Agribusiness in California