Determinants of farmers' indigenous soil and water conservation investments in India's semi-arid tropics

This paper explores the determinants of farmers' investments in indigenous soil and water conservation measures in the semi-arid tropics of India. Many types of indigenous conservation measures are observed in three study villages, including investments in terracing, levelling, gully checks, field b...

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Autores principales: Pender, John L., Kerr, John M.
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 1996
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157223
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author Pender, John L.
Kerr, John M.
author_browse Kerr, John M.
Pender, John L.
author_facet Pender, John L.
Kerr, John M.
author_sort Pender, John L.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This paper explores the determinants of farmers' investments in indigenous soil and water conservation measures in the semi-arid tropics of India. Many types of indigenous conservation measures are observed in three study villages, including investments in terracing, levelling, gully checks, field boundary bunds, grass strips, drainage, and other measures. A simple theoretical model is used to develop hypotheses about the determinants of such investments in the context of possibly imperfect factor markets, and these hypotheses are tested using data from the three study villages. Across the three study villages, we find that conservation investment is significantly greater on steep plots, on plots of higher quality, on plats that have incomplete conservation structures, and on plots that are owner-operated. The latter finding confirms that land markets have important impacts on investment incentives. We also find strong evidence that credit and labor market imperfections are affecting conservation investments in one of the study villages, where investment is greater among households having more education and debt, a higher percentage of off-farm income, more adult males, fewer adult females, who farm less land, or who are of low caste. We interpret these results as reflecting transaction costs of participation in credit and labor markets, which may be high relative to the small size of investments in the village where these effects are most notable.
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spelling CGSpace1572232025-05-15T21:21:25Z Determinants of farmers' indigenous soil and water conservation investments in India's semi-arid tropics Pender, John L. Kerr, John M. water conservation soil conservation investment land management This paper explores the determinants of farmers' investments in indigenous soil and water conservation measures in the semi-arid tropics of India. Many types of indigenous conservation measures are observed in three study villages, including investments in terracing, levelling, gully checks, field boundary bunds, grass strips, drainage, and other measures. A simple theoretical model is used to develop hypotheses about the determinants of such investments in the context of possibly imperfect factor markets, and these hypotheses are tested using data from the three study villages. Across the three study villages, we find that conservation investment is significantly greater on steep plots, on plots of higher quality, on plats that have incomplete conservation structures, and on plots that are owner-operated. The latter finding confirms that land markets have important impacts on investment incentives. We also find strong evidence that credit and labor market imperfections are affecting conservation investments in one of the study villages, where investment is greater among households having more education and debt, a higher percentage of off-farm income, more adult males, fewer adult females, who farm less land, or who are of low caste. We interpret these results as reflecting transaction costs of participation in credit and labor markets, which may be high relative to the small size of investments in the village where these effects are most notable. 1996 2024-10-24T12:48:12Z 2024-10-24T12:48:12Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157223 en https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-0862.1998.tb00520.x Open Access International Food Policy Research Institute Pender, John L.; Kerr, John M. 1996. Determinants of farmers' indigenous soil and water conservation investments in India's semi-arid tropics. EPTD Discussion Paper 17. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157223
spellingShingle water conservation
soil conservation
investment
land management
Pender, John L.
Kerr, John M.
Determinants of farmers' indigenous soil and water conservation investments in India's semi-arid tropics
title Determinants of farmers' indigenous soil and water conservation investments in India's semi-arid tropics
title_full Determinants of farmers' indigenous soil and water conservation investments in India's semi-arid tropics
title_fullStr Determinants of farmers' indigenous soil and water conservation investments in India's semi-arid tropics
title_full_unstemmed Determinants of farmers' indigenous soil and water conservation investments in India's semi-arid tropics
title_short Determinants of farmers' indigenous soil and water conservation investments in India's semi-arid tropics
title_sort determinants of farmers indigenous soil and water conservation investments in india s semi arid tropics
topic water conservation
soil conservation
investment
land management
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/157223
work_keys_str_mv AT penderjohnl determinantsoffarmersindigenoussoilandwaterconservationinvestmentsinindiassemiaridtropics
AT kerrjohnm determinantsoffarmersindigenoussoilandwaterconservationinvestmentsinindiassemiaridtropics