Inputs productivity in agriculture

Judged by any standard rate of growth, agriculture production in India can be considered satisfactory. Over a period of three decades we have been able to main tain a growth rate of over 2.5 per cent per annum. There are very few countries where such a rate of growth could be sustained for such a long period of time. Therefore, it is important to understand the mainsprings of agricultural growth. Past studies have identified extension of irriga tion as one of the major factors accounting for this development. This book identifies the contribution of irrigation in an overall general way and measures the contribution of this input on different size groups of farms and for different crops with the help of carefully selected statistical and econo metric tools.

An equally important aspect of Indian agricultural growth is the question of farm size and productivity. This relationship has important implications as much for agricul tural growth as for the equity. Hence debate on the relationship between size and productivity acquires a special significance. Most of the discussants have used the aggregative, macro level, more often the farm management, data to arrive at their conclusions. The importance of this study lies in the fact that it goes to the primary source of data for establishing this rela tionship for different crops as well as for agricultural output in general. This book should be of vital importance to agriculturists, Policy-makers, and scientists among many others.