Developing small holders agriculture through changing crop composition

Abstract

Small size of holdings of a large proportion of farmers is considered a major bottleneck in increasing the income of the people in rural areas. In India the proportion of small holders is increasing over time. Previous studies have suggested policies oriented towards non-prince factors such as increasing yield and changing crop composition for improving their incomes. This study examines how sericulture could be an ideal enterprise for small and marginal farmers in India. Analysis of primary data collected from 3 taluks of Karnataka state suggested that sericulture is far more attractive compared to competing crops in the respective areas in terms of net returns, cash flows and employment generation. Increasing silk production can also help in increasing foreign exchange earnings. Moreover, sericulture has other desirable features such as increased employment opportunities for women. Therefore, efforts towards popularising sericulture among small and marginal farmers could help in improving the living standards of these farmers.