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Who Leaves Farmland Fallow and Why? An Empirical Investigation Using Nationally Representative Survey Data from India

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  • Thiagu Ranganathan

    (Indian Institute of Management Nagpur (IIM Nagpur))

  • Ghanshyam Pandey

    (National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research)

Abstract

This paper investigates the determinants of the probability and proportion of owned land left fallow by farmers in India using nationally representative survey data. Using a zero-inflated beta regression, we find that having more land increased the likelihood of land being left fallow. Those with tractors were less likely to leave land fallow and had a lesser proportion of land left fallow. Living in a village which practised tenancy (predominantly fixed-rent tenancy) reduced the proportion of land left fallow. The amount of subsidised food grains the household received from the public distribution system, distance from nearest town and nonfarm opportunities available to the household increased the proportion of land left fallow. In summary, our results emphasise the importance of urbanisation, mechanisation and tenancy reforms for fallowing decisions of farm households. It also underpins the non-separability of production decisions from consumption and labour decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Thiagu Ranganathan & Ghanshyam Pandey, 2018. "Who Leaves Farmland Fallow and Why? An Empirical Investigation Using Nationally Representative Survey Data from India," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(5), pages 914-933, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:30:y:2018:i:5:d:10.1057_s41287-018-0139-2
    DOI: 10.1057/s41287-018-0139-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Raju Rai & Yili Zhang & Basanta Paudel & Narendra Raj Khanal, 2019. "Status of Farmland Abandonment and Its Determinants in the Transboundary Gandaki River Basin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-18, September.
    2. S Chandrasekhar & Vijay Laxmi Pandey & Soham Sahoo, 2022. "Land use and cropping decisions of agricultural households in India," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(3), pages 621-635, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fallow land; irrigation; drought; tenancy; mechanisation; urban proximity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products

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