From land reform to pump energisation a shift in agricultural drivers in west bengal
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Transcript of From land reform to pump energisation a shift in agricultural drivers in west bengal
Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction
From land reform to pump energisation: A shift in agricultural drivers in West Bengal
Archisman Mitra, Marie-Charlotte Buisson
Stockholm World Water WeekWorkshop - Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystem Security2 September 2014
Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction
West Bengal - Indian state in the Eastern Gangetic plain
Abundant monsoon rainfallAman (monsoon rice) and
Boro (summer rice) are most important crops
3 stages in agricultural history : Pre 1980 stagnation 1980s to 1990s – high
growth Since 2000s - slowdown
Background
Fig 4 – Incidence of rural poverty in India
25
Source : IWMI
West Bengal
Research objectives
Literature has started recognizing the importance of the energy-irrigation nexus in eastern India
Historically its direct quantitative impact measurement is still missing
Attempt to understand the quantitative impacts of pump electrification in the previous 2 decades using district level-data
Analysis of post land-reform phase of West Bengal
“Operation Barga” launched in West Bengal in 1978
Researchers identify different reasons why “Operation Barga” ushered in Green revolution of 1980s –
Reducing eviction threat of tenants Increase bargaining power of tenants Better access to institutional loans
Banerjee, Gertler and Ghatak (2002) “Operation Barga” increased average rice yields
by 20%, 1979-1993
Land reform as driver of growth
Operation Barga directly affected a very small proportion of the cultivated land
8.2% of net cropped area by 1998
The 1980s simultaneously saw the Green revolution spreading across West Bengal
Diffusion and adoption of HYV seeds, fertilizers Higher irrigation expenditures by Panchayats (local govt.) Better road connectivity
Bardhan and Mukherjee (2012) show that quantitative impact of land reform is much smaller, when controlled for other policies especially irrigation.
Relativizing the impact of land reform
Irrigation situation
Fig 2 - Number of pumps for surface and groundwater irrigation in West Bengal (Source: Minor irrigation census, CGWB, GoI)
Area irrigated by tube well is approximately 43.8% of total area irrigated in 2000, while it was only 13.6% in 1975.
Diesel vs Electric pumps
1987-88 10.6
1994-95 16.82000-01 15.42006-07 20.2
Tab 1 - Percentage of electrified pumps
Electric pumps essential for boro cultivation Rising diesel prices, by almost 450% from 1994 to 2006 High and flat tariff rate for electric pumps (before 2007) Incentive for electric Pump owners to sell water – Mukherjee
(2007) estimates that electric pumps irrigated almost thrice the area irrigated by boro
1973
1975
1977
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
0.05.0
10.015.020.025.030.035.040.0
0.05.010.015.020.025.030.035.0
Price of diesel at current prices (Rs/litre)Price of diesel at constant 2004-05 prices (Rs/litre)
Rs/li
tre
Rs/li
tre
Fig 3 - Diesel prices in West Bengal, 1973-2009Source : IWMISource : Minor irrigation census & WBSEDCL
Data Source
BAES, Government of West Bengal
Panel data created from different sources : Statistical Handbook , West Bengal (different years) Economic Review, West Bengal (different years) Annual report of WBSEDCL Online resources: ICRISAT VDSA database, Indiastat
website
Panel consists of :13 Districts (Excluding Puruliya and Darjeeling)13 years (1994 -2006)
Methodology
Cumulative number of electrified pumps (in district d for year t, in log)
Cumulative number of sharecroppers registered under Operation Barga(in district d for year t-1, in log)
Other time-varying variables:Fertilizer useRainfallCanal accessRoad-accessPrices of rice Diesel price
Boro Area Boro Yield Rice Yield
𝑙𝑛𝑌 𝑑𝑡=𝛼𝑑+𝜑𝑡+𝛽1 . 𝑙𝑛𝐸𝑃𝑑𝑡+𝛽2 . 𝑙𝑛𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑑𝑡 −1+𝛽3 .𝑋𝑑𝑡+𝜀𝑑𝑡
Estimation with a panel regression method We consider cluster – robust standard errors to ensure that we do not get
false positives due to multi-collinearity
Result
log (boro area)
log (boro area)
log (boro yield)
log (boro yield)
log (rice yield)
log (rice yield)
log(Share cropper registration (lagged))
1.286(0.179)
0.723(0.403)
0.589(0.268)
0.647(0.236)
-0.0244(0.96)
-0.00279(0.996)
log(Cumulative no. of electrified pumps)
1.615***(0.000)
1.656***(0.000)
-0.0435(0.672)
-0.00821(0.964)
0.146**(0.007)
0.222*(0.015)
Controls No Yes No Yes No Yes
Sample size 169 157 169 157 169 141
Significant and positive effect of pump electrification on area of boro cultivated and yield of rice.
Tab 2 - Effect of Pump Electrification on Agricultural variables in West Bengal, 1994-2006
Impact on yield of boro is not significant however.No significant impact of Barga registration rate on agricultural
outcomes
ExplanationsPump electrification brought more area under boro
cultivation previously which remained fallowPositive and significant effect on area under boro
While boro yield remained same or slightly worsened
Our estimates show pump electrification (increasing by 18.5% during 1994-2006) caused boro area to rise by 30.6%.
No effect of land reform, district dummy captures it all
Pump electrification by providing better access to irrigation, protects from rainfall fluctuation and ensures better yield
Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction
40.1% stage of groundwater development in 2009, 50.9% in 2000, 86% of blocks are safe
Preliminary regression result indicate number of electrified pumps had no significant effect on post monsoon water level – more work needed
Groundwater situation
Fig 4 – Classification of groundwater development, 2009
125
Source : IWMI-Tata Water Policy Research Highlight, 36.
ConclusionAccess to groundwater irrigation via electric pump has
become the major driver of agricultural growth in West Bengal, taking over the role that land reform had in the 1980s.
Recent policy changes in Electrification policy Connections doubled in just 5 years. Ongoing research points to still existing limitations in
implementation
Need to be careful about its impact on groundwater tables, more research required on the sustainability issue
Uniting agriculture and nature for poverty reduction
Thank You
Contact : Archisman Mitra, International Water Management Institute