This volume provides a comprehensive analysis of the macro- and micro-level issues associated with agrarian distress. It analyses structural, institutional, and policy changes, highlighting the failure of public support system in agriculture. The crisis manifests itself in the form of deceleration in growth and distress of farmers. The case studies from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Punjab bring out the diversity of conditions prevalent in the states.
In the Indian context; contributed papers presented at the 22nd Conference of the Institute of Indian Geographers, and International Geographical Union Commission Meeting on Land Degradation and Desertification, held at the Dept. of Geography, Visva-Bharati University, on January 9-11, 2001.
This book discusses land degradation in India using statistical tools such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Regression Analysis (RA), and uses statistical analyses and graphical representations of the causal relationship between land degradation and land productivity to determine linkages with deforestation, climate change and agricultural productivity. While most studies of land degradation in India focus on economic outcomes and physical processes at macro and micro levels, this study addresses land degradation at the meso-level to fill in this gap and provide up-to-date information on often overlooked factors associated with land degradation issues using the latest available data. Districts in the study were selected by land degradation intensity, forming an index of the severity of land degradation in the area, with a focus on gullied lands, soil salinity/alkalinity and open and dense scrubs as indicators. Though the study areas are in India, researchers, policy makers and students around the world will be able to learn from these inputs regarding land degradation to address various challenges associated with sustainable land management and agricultural productivity.
This book takes a new approach on understanding causes of extreme poverty and promising actions to address it. Its focus is on marginality being a root cause of poverty and deprivation. “Marginality” is the position of people on the edge, preventing their access to resources, freedom of choices, and the development of capabilities. The book is research based with original empirical analyses at local, national, and local scales; book contributors are leaders in their fields and have backgrounds in different disciplines. An important message of the book is that economic and ecological approaches and institutional innovations need to be integrated to overcome marginality. The book will be a valuable source for development scholars and students, actors that design public policies, and for social innovators in the private sector and non-governmental organizations.
Based on an International Workshop held in Arusha, Tanzania, this book presents state-of-the-art papers, real world applications, and innovative techniques for combating land degradation. It offers recommendations for effectively using weather and climate information for sustainable land management practices.
This book offers the scientific basis for the ample evaluation of badland management in India and some surrounding regions. It examines the processes operating in the headwaters and main channels of ephemeral rivers in lateritic environments of India. In particular, the book covers a range of vital topics in the areas of gully erosion and water to soil erosion at lateritic uplands regions of India and other regions in Asia. It explores the probable gully erosion modeling through Remote Sensing & GIS Techniques. It is divided into three units. Unit I deals with the introduction of badland, types of badland and the process of badland formation. Unit II is devoted to a description of quantitative measurements. Unit III deals with the control and management processes related to various issues from different regions. As such this book serves as a reference book for research activities in this area. It is an efficient guide for aspiring researchers in applied geography, explaining advanced techniques to help students recognize both simple and complex concepts.
This book offers an overview of recent literature on land degradation and its interrelationship with socio-economic development processes in the developing world. It provides an in-depth analysis of land degradation as a physical process, with an emphasis on the local and regional scales. The volume contains a detailed case-study of ravine formation processes in the Chambal valley, a unique but least studied part of the world. Using multi-scale and multi-disciplinary approaches, and combining spatial socio-economic data with remote sensing data, this book provides an in-depth analysis of the causes and implications of land degradation.
Agricultural Statistics is published each year to meet the diverse need for a reliable reference book on agricultural production, supplies, consumption, facilities, costs, and returns. Its tables of annual data cover a wide variety of facts in forms suited to most common use. The estimates for crops, livestock, and poultry made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture are prepared mainly to give timely current state and national totals and averages. They are based on data obtained by sample surveys of farmers and of people who do business with farmers. The survey data are supplemented by information from the Census of Agriculture taken every five years. Being estimates, they are subject to revision as more data become available from commercial or government sources. Unless otherwise indicated, the totals for the United States shown in the various tables on area, production, numbers, price, value, supplies, and disposition are based on official Department estimates. They exclude states for which no official estimates are compiled. Extensive data includes statistics for the following: -Grain and Feed -Cotton, Tobacco, Sugar Crops, and Honey -Oilseeds, Fats, and Oils -Vegetables and Melons -Hay, Seeds, and Minor Field Crops -Cattle, Hogs, and Sheep -Dairy and Poultry -Insurance, Credit & Cooperatives -Agricultural Conservation & Forestry -Consumption & Family Living -Fertilizers & Pesticides Miscellaneous Agricultural Statistics such as Foreign Agricultural Trade Statistics including exports, fisheries and more. Professionals in the following fields to include farmers, ranchers, soil conservationists, surveyors, agricultural economist consultants, livestock manufacturers, livestock feedlot operators, food distributors, animal scientists, food chemists, food brokers, farm and land appraisers (and more) may have the greatest interest in this volume.
Learn from this integrated approach to the management and restoration of ecosystems edited by an international leader in the field The Handbook of Ecological and Ecosystem Engineering delivers a comprehensive overview of the latest research and practical developments in the rapidly evolving fields of ecological and ecosystem engineering. Beginning with an introduction to the theory and practice of ecological engineering and ecosystem services, the book addresses a wide variety of issues central to the restoration and remediation of ecological environments. The book contains fulsome analyses of the restoration, rehabilitation, conservation, sustainability, reconstruction, remediation, and reclamation of ecosystems using ecological engineering techniques. Case studies are used to highlight practical applications of the theory discussed within. The material in the Handbook of Ecological and Ecosystem Engineering is particularly relevant at a time when the human population is dramatically rising, and the exploitation of natural resources is putting increasing pressure on planetary ecosystems. The book demonstrates how modern scientific ecology can contribute to the greening of the environment through the inclusion of concrete examples of successful applied management. The book also includes: A thorough discussion of ecological engineering and ecosystem services theory and practice An exploration of ecological and ecosystem engineering economic and environmental revitalization An examination of the role of soil meso and macrofauna indicators for restoration assessment success in a rehabilitated mine site A treatment of the mitigation of urban environmental issues by applying ecological and ecosystem engineering A discussion of soil fertility restoration theory and practice Perfect for academic researchers, industry scientists, and environmental engineers working in the fields of ecological engineering, environmental science, and biotechnology, the Handbook of Ecological and Ecosystem Engineering also belongs on the bookshelves of environmental regulators and consultants, policy makers, and employees of non-governmental organizations working on sustainable development.
