Year: 2016 | Month: December | Volume 61 | Issue 4
Comparative Study of Marginal Farms in India vis-a-vis West Bengal; Evidences from Last Decade
DOI:10.5958/0976-4666.2016.00073.5
Abstract:
Agriculture is the backbone of overall growth for the majority of the countries where the primary occupation of rural population is predominantly agriculture. The growth of agriculture is essential for poverty reduction and food security for these countries. The present study deals with the current situation of holdings, operated area and average size of land holding by marginal farms at the national level as well as West Bengal. The data has been collected from Agricultural Census, Government of India and West Bengal. It is found that 67.10% marginal farms cultivate only 22.50% of area in 2010-11 which has increased from 62.88% and 18.70% respectively from 2000-01 at national level. In case of West Bengal, 82.16% of marginal farms operate 52.47% of land which has increased from 80.44% and 49.74% from 2000-01 respectively. On the other hand, the average size of land holding has been decreased during this time frame both at national level and in case of West Bengal. Thus, the concentration of marginal farms is much more significant in the context of West Bengal for sustainable agriculture and maintain food security and to reduce poverty.
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