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Local seed systems and village-level determinants of millet crop diversity in marginal environments of India:

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  • Nagarajan, Latha
  • Smale, Melinda

Abstract

"In the subsistence-oriented, semi-arid production systems of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, India, the environment is marginal for crop growth and often there is no substitute for millet crops. Across communities, farmers grow thirteen different combinations of pearl millet, sorghum, finger millet, little millet, and foxtail millet varieties, but individual farmers grow an average of only two to three millet varieties per season. The notion of the seed system includes all channels through which farmers acquire genetic materials, outside or in interaction with the commercial seed industry. Data are compiled through household surveys and interviews with traders and dealers in village and district markets. Based on the concept of the seed lot, several characteristics of local seed markets are defined and measured by millet crop, including seed transfer rates for farmer-to-farmer transactions and seed replacement ratios. Most seed transactions appear to be based on money. Seed supply channels differ by improvement status of the genetic material. Econometric results indicate the significance of the seed replacement ratios and seed volumes traded in determining the levels of crop biodiversity managed by communities, in addition to the household, farm and other market-related factors identified by previous studies. These are interpreted as indicators of market strength." Authors' Abstract

Suggested Citation

  • Nagarajan, Latha & Smale, Melinda, 2005. "Local seed systems and village-level determinants of millet crop diversity in marginal environments of India:," EPTD discussion papers 135, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:fpr:eptddp:135
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Nagarajan, Latha & Smale, Melinda & Glewwe, Paul, 2005. "Comparing farm and village-level determinants of millet diversity in marginal environments of India: the context of seed systems," EPTD discussion papers 139, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Smale, Melinda & Diakité, Lamissa & Dembélé, Brahima & Traoré, Issa Seni & Guindo, Oumar & Konta, Bouréma, 2008. "Trading millet and sorghum genetic resources women vendors in the village fairs of San and Souentza, Mali:," IFPRI discussion papers 746, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Nagarajan, Latha & Pardey, Philip G. & Smale, Melinda, 2006. "Local seed systems for millet crops in marginal environments of India: industry and policy perspectives," EPTD discussion papers 151, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Paul J. Block & Kenneth Strzepek & Mark W. Rosegrant & Xinshen Diao, 2008. "Impacts of considering climate variability on investment decisions in Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 39(2), pages 171-181, September.
    7. Malaiarasan, Umanath & Paramasivam, R & Saravanakumar, V, 2022. "Choice of millets cultivation in India: an evidence from farm household survey data," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 35(Conferenc), December.
    8. Gruère, Guillaume & Giuliani, Alessandra & Smale, Melinda, 2006. "Marketing underutilized plant species for the benefit of the poor: a conceptual framework," EPTD discussion papers 154, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. Gruère, Guillaume P., 2006. "An analysis of trade related international regulations of genetically modified food and their effects on developing countries:," EPTD discussion papers 147, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    10. Mabaya, Edward & Mulbah, Quaquah & Mienwipia, Alaric & Waithaka, Michael & Mugoya, Mainza & Tihanyi, Krisztina & Kanyenji, George, 2021. "Liberia Country Report 2021," TASAI: The African Seed Access Index-Reports 317018, TASAI: The African Seed Access Index.
    11. Gruere, Guillaume P. & Nagarajan, Latha & King, E.D.I. Oliver, 2007. "Collective action and marketing of underutilized plant species: The case of minor millets in Kolli Hills, Tamil Nadu, India," CAPRi working papers 69, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    12. Nagarajan, Latha & Smale, Melinda & Glewwe, Paul, 2005. "Local Seed Markets and the Determinants of Crop Variety Diversity in Marginal Environments: The Case of Millet in Semi-Arid India," 2005 Annual meeting, July 24-27, Providence, RI 19445, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    13. Latha Nagarajan & Melinda Smale & Paul Glewwe, 2007. "Determinants of millet diversity at the household‐farm and village‐community levels in the drylands of India: the role of local seed systems," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 36(2), pages 157-167, March.
    14. Di Falco, Salvatore & Chavas, Jean-Paul & Smale, Melinda, 2006. "Farmer management of production risk on degraded lands: the role of wheat genetic diversity in Tigray Region, Ethiopia," EPTD discussion papers 153, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    15. Smale, Melinda & Zambrano, Patricia & Falck-Zepeda, José & Gruère, Guillaume, 2006. "Parables: applied economics literature about the impact of genetically engineered crop varieties in developing economies," EPTD discussion papers 158, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

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    Keywords

    Seed systems; Crop diversity; Seed industry and trade; genetic variation;
    All these keywords.

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