Food Security
Dairy Farming
Like many other counties of the world, India has a long history of peoples’association with domesticated animals, especially cattle. Each farming family in thecountry used to possess some cattle for the purposes of ploughing, pulling carts and producing milk. Interestingly, among others, dairy farming provided sustenance to millions of Indian farmers, particularly the rural poor. However, this important sector ofeconomy has been largely neglected by agricultural geographers. A recent study byKhandelwal and Khandelwal (2005) is significant in this context. They carried out asurvey in Jaipur district, Rajasthan around a hypothesis that as dairying is a major sourceof income for marginal farmers, landless persons and other rural poor, it is a major factorin socio-economic changes experienced by the area. According to them dairying and allied activities may open up great possibilities for jobs for the rural poor, particularly women. In another work, Deka and Bhagabati (2006) made an attempt to identifylocations of dairy farms in and around the city of Guwahati, Assam and to delimit theareas of their major concentration. They tested the validity of the Thunenian model with respect to location of the dairy farms.
Problems associated with food security in recent years have drawn serious attention of agricultural geographers in India in line with social scientists throughout the globe. It is now agreed that carefully planned agricultural progress with a view to saving rural livelihoods can only ensure availability of more food, jobs and income. As opposed to modern industries which promote jobless growth, agriculture including animal husbandry, forestry and ago-processing can promote job-led economic growth.
Importantly, geographers of India have not neglected this vital issue. Studies made by Choudhury (2006) and others are significant in this regard. Choudhury made an attempt to discuss issues relating to agriculture and food security in Sikkim and observed that testate suffers from acute food shortage resulting from dearth of cropland on the one hand and traditional practice of agriculture on the other. Jha (2006) elucidated the concepts of vulnerability and food insecurity and tried to develop a theoretical framework to analyze the issues of food insecurity. He emphasized on the impact of population on food security and vulnerability in Bangladesh, a problem-ridden developing country of South Asia. Das and Dutta (2006) investigated the problem of population growth and food availability scenario of the states of North-East India and suggested measures to reduce food scarcity and malnutrition in the region. Gatade (2004) assessed the carrying capacity of land in
Samara district of Maharashtra on the basis of the standard nutrition units of both production and consumption to analyze the population–food balance in the district.
Importantly, geographers of India have not neglected this vital issue. Studies made by Choudhury (2006) and others are significant in this regard. Choudhury made an attempt to discuss issues relating to agriculture and food security in Sikkim and observed that testate suffers from acute food shortage resulting from dearth of cropland on the one hand and traditional practice of agriculture on the other. Jha (2006) elucidated the concepts of vulnerability and food insecurity and tried to develop a theoretical framework to analyze the issues of food insecurity. He emphasized on the impact of population on food security and vulnerability in Bangladesh, a problem-ridden developing country of South Asia. Das and Dutta (2006) investigated the problem of population growth and food availability scenario of the states of North-East India and suggested measures to reduce food scarcity and malnutrition in the region. Gatade (2004) assessed the carrying capacity of land in
Samara district of Maharashtra on the basis of the standard nutrition units of both production and consumption to analyze the population–food balance in the district.
Dairy Farming
Like many other counties of the world, India has a long history of peoples’association with domesticated animals, especially cattle. Each farming family in thecountry used to possess some cattle for the purposes of ploughing, pulling carts and producing milk. Interestingly, among others, dairy farming provided sustenance to millions of Indian farmers, particularly the rural poor. However, this important sector ofeconomy has been largely neglected by agricultural geographers. A recent study byKhandelwal and Khandelwal (2005) is significant in this context. They carried out asurvey in Jaipur district, Rajasthan around a hypothesis that as dairying is a major sourceof income for marginal farmers, landless persons and other rural poor, it is a major factorin socio-economic changes experienced by the area. According to them dairying and allied activities may open up great possibilities for jobs for the rural poor, particularly women. In another work, Deka and Bhagabati (2006) made an attempt to identifylocations of dairy farms in and around the city of Guwahati, Assam and to delimit theareas of their major concentration. They tested the validity of the Thunenian model with respect to location of the dairy farms.
Society, Culture and Agriculture
In the country report – Progress in Indian Geography, rightly observed the role of dynamic agricultural geography in regionalplanning and development. Needless to emphasize, the role of socio-cultural factors on crop diversity and dynamics, and reflection of socio-cultural fabrics in agriculturalpractice and perception is extremely significant. Sadly few studies address such issues.
Exploring the place of rice farming in the life and culture of the Assamese people found inextricable link between rice farming and variousaspects of Assamese culture including food habit, folk behaviour and local festivals.
The agricultural situation in a village of Bihar inrelation to certain demographic and cultural attributes. While studying the relationshipbetween farm size, type of agriculture and social status of the farming communities inNellore district of Andhra Pradesh, Neeraja, et al. (2006) observed that the farmers’choice for crops, inputs and crop-sequences are conditioned primarily by socio-economicvariables and size of landholdings. Datta (2007) examined the pressure of human population on the land resources of Assam and emphasized on the human resourcedevelopment and mobilization of other natural resources so that poverty, social unrest, degradation of environment may be reduced. In a similar attempt, Barah (2004) discussed the impact of the factor of population on agricultural development and suggested strategyfor improving the condition of agriculture in Jorhat district of Assam in the light ofcertain demographic and social variables.
In the country report – Progress in Indian Geography, rightly observed the role of dynamic agricultural geography in regionalplanning and development. Needless to emphasize, the role of socio-cultural factors on crop diversity and dynamics, and reflection of socio-cultural fabrics in agriculturalpractice and perception is extremely significant. Sadly few studies address such issues.
Exploring the place of rice farming in the life and culture of the Assamese people found inextricable link between rice farming and variousaspects of Assamese culture including food habit, folk behaviour and local festivals.
The agricultural situation in a village of Bihar inrelation to certain demographic and cultural attributes. While studying the relationshipbetween farm size, type of agriculture and social status of the farming communities inNellore district of Andhra Pradesh, Neeraja, et al. (2006) observed that the farmers’choice for crops, inputs and crop-sequences are conditioned primarily by socio-economicvariables and size of landholdings. Datta (2007) examined the pressure of human population on the land resources of Assam and emphasized on the human resourcedevelopment and mobilization of other natural resources so that poverty, social unrest, degradation of environment may be reduced. In a similar attempt, Barah (2004) discussed the impact of the factor of population on agricultural development and suggested strategyfor improving the condition of agriculture in Jorhat district of Assam in the light ofcertain demographic and social variables.
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