VLS Target: Past, Present and Future1975-85 2001-08 2009 and beyond

IntroductionIn 1975, the ICRISAT Economics Program initiated Village Level Studies (VLS) at six villages in two states of semi-arid tropical (SAT) India and four villages in West and Central Africa (WCA). They provide the most efficient way to understand the farming systems in rural areas, and to identify the socioeconomic constraints faced by the farming community in the SAT.

Generate pro-poor policies, tools, lessons and investment guidelines that contribute to improved food security, livelihood resilience and poverty reduction

Objectives• Totrackchangesinthelivelihoodoptionsoftheruralpoor.• Tounderstandfarmers’responsetochangingmarkets,policiesandtechnologies.• Tounderstandfarmers’perceptionsonclimatechangeandtheircopingmechanisms.• Toprovideasocio-economicfieldlaboratoryforteachingandtrainingofstudentsandresearchers.

• Researchquestionsare identified through FGMs and surveys.

• Themajorenquiryis to understand the dynamics of agricultural transformation

• Projectonassessingthe dynamics of poverty in the semi-arid tropics.

Role and recognition of VLS• “Genebankofsocialscientists”.• TestinggroundsforICRISATtechnologies.• AnIPG–uniquelongitudinalhouseholdpaneldata.

• Climatechange/variabilitybecoming prominent

• Vulnerabilityandadaptationstrategies of village communities

• Monitoringofdirectandindirect effects of climate change

• Buildinglayersofresilience

Key findings• Thedriversofchangeare:

surface and groundwater irrigation, technology adoption, non-farm income.

• Proportionofincomesfromnon-farm sources, migration and caste occupations increased, while that of farm income decreased.

• Demandfordraftanimalsreduced due to use of tractors.

• Annualpercapitaincomeincreased from Rs 3466 in 1975-78 to Rs 8013 in 2001-06.

• Farmersinvestedlittleonsoil conservation measures but heavily on groundwater exploration.

• Changesinlabormarkets:increasedrealwagesoflabor,increasedmigrationandspatialintegration.

• Welfareanddevelopmentprogramsofthegovernmenthavehelpedhouseholdsincopingwithincomeshocks.

• Organizationofwomenintoselfhelpgroupshasreduceddependenceonmoneylendersforsmallloans.

Policy implications for rainfed agriculture• Providesupplementalirrigationindrought-proneareastoenhancesustainabilityoflivelihoods.

• Strengthenpublicinvestmentinwaterconservationandrecycling.

• FoodstampsworthRs150permonthmaybegiventothehouseholdsbelowthepovertylineinlieuofPublicDistributionSystemsubsidy.

• Minimumsupportpricesprovidedforrainfedcropshavetobebackedupbyprocurementmechanisms by the government.

Moving forward• Deepeningofenquirytoincludesocialandclimaticaspects.

• Identificationofdriversthathelpinmovingoutofpovertyandachievingfoodandnutritionalsecurity.

• Vulnerabilitytoclimatechange:adaptationstrategiesandlayersofresilience.

• Smallholders’investmentinnaturalresourcemanagement.

Linking climate change with VLS

Targets in WCA