Is rainfed agriculture really a pathway from poverty?

Harris, D and Orr, A (2014) Is rainfed agriculture really a pathway from poverty? Agricultural Systems, 123. pp. 84-96. ISSN 0308-521X

Preview	PDF (Author's version post-print) Download (880kB) | Preview
	PDF - Published Version Restricted to ICRISAT users only Download (635kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Agriculture’s potential to reduce poverty at household level is explored for rainfed crop production in Africa and India. A literature survey of crop improvement and natural resource management interventions demonstrates that new technology can substantially increase net returns per hectare per cropping season. However, the median net income from improved technologies was only $558/ha/season at 2005 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) and a de facto limit of around $1700/ha/season was identified, with values rarely exceeding $1000/ha/season. These values for net returns from the literature were mostly derived from small-plot studies and are likely to be overestimates when technologies are implemented by farmers on larger areas. Crop production could be a pathway from poverty where smallholders are able to increase farm size or where markets stimulate crop diversification, commercialisation and increased farm profitability. For most smallholders, however, small farm size and limited access to markets mean that returns from improved technology are too small for crop production alone to lift them above the poverty line and the direct benefit will be improved household food security.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	RP-Market Institutions and Policies
CRP:	CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Rainfed crop profitability; Smallholders; Farm size; Income limits; Poverty; New technology
Subjects:	Others > Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
Depositing User:	Mr Siva Shankar
Date Deposited:	31 Oct 2013 04:55
Last Modified:	19 Aug 2016 08:28
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/7223
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2013.09.005
Projects:	UNSPECIFIED
Funders:	UNSPECIFIED
Acknowledgement:	UNSPECIFIED
Links:	Google Scholar

View Statistics

Actions (login required)

View Item