Understanding the Linkages between Crop Diversity and Household Dietary Diversity in the Semi-Arid Regions of India

Kavitha, K and Soumitra, P and Padmaja, R (2016) Understanding the Linkages between Crop Diversity and Household Dietary Diversity in the Semi-Arid Regions of India. Agricultural Economics Research Review, 29. pp. 129-137. ISSN 0971-3441

PDF - Published Version Restricted to ICRISAT users only Download (670kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Agriculture is fundamental to achieving nutrition goals; it provides the food, energy, and nutrients essential for human health and well-being. This paper has examined crop diversity and dietary diversity in six villages using the ICRISAT Village Level Studies (VLS) data from the Telangana and Maharashtra states of India. The study has used the data of cultivating households for constructing the crop diversity index while dietary diversity data is from the special purpose nutritional surveys conducted by ICRISAT in the six villages. The study has revealed that the cropping pattern is not uniform across the six study villages with dominance of mono cropping in Telangana villages and of mixed cropping in Maharashtra villages. The analysis has indicated a positive and significant correlation between crop diversity and household dietary diversity at the bivariate level. In multiple linear regression model, controlling for the other covariates, crop diversity has not shown a significant association with household dietary diversity. However, other covariates have shown strong association with dietary diversity. The regression results have revealed that households which cultivated minimum one food crop in a single cropping year have a significant and positive relationship with dietary diversity. From the study it can be inferred that crop diversity alone does not affect the household dietary diversity in the semi-arid tropics. Enhancing the evidence base and future research, especially in the fragile environment of semi-arid tropics, is highly recommended.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	Research Program : Innovation Systems for the Drylands (ISD)
CRP:	CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Cereals CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Crop diversity, Household dietary diversity, Semi-arid tropics, Farm linkages, Telangana, Maharashtra
Subjects:	Others > Agriculture Others > Food and Nutrition
Depositing User:	Mr Ramesh K
Date Deposited:	02 Jan 2017 09:15
Last Modified:	17 Apr 2017 08:12
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/9822
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.5958/0974-0279.2016.00040.9
Projects:	VDSA
Funders:	UNSPECIFIED
Acknowledgement:	This article is part of Conference Issue Vol. 29 on Agriculture for Nutrition Security
Links:	Google Scholar

View Statistics

Actions (login required)

View Item