Farming is the first known and practised profession of human species on earth. Tilling of soil and rasing of crops became the first revolution of manking in recorded history. In the modern age agriculture supplies raw material such as cotton,jete,sugarcane,etc.and ensures foodgrains and horticultural crops to anumber of agrobased industires.
Major partners of agricultural production in Indian economy are non else than the small farmers. They constitute the biggest ever class of people engaged in aparticular operation throughout India in rural areas. Madhya Pradesh in one of the less developed states in the Union of India. A Study of its economy with particular reference to its lesspriviledged farming community willk help understand better the conditions of its counterpart in the neighbouring states also.
For a general study of small and marginal famers in the State as it has been attempted in the present work the owners of a particulars size of land holdings and other parameters like extent of irrigation,level of annual income,etc. have been considered secondarily.
The general scenario of agricultural development with special reference to the relative strenght and weekness of this state vis--a-vis others in India has been dealt with in a chapter In another chapter the need for a suitable package deal has been suggested and analysed.The adaption of small family norms by small and marginal farmers in Madhya Pradesh has been emphasized. Other chapters deal with the necessity of land development by various ways and means irrigation and cropping pattern,government's role in the promotion of irrigation systems technology of bio-gas plant to the rural areas,merits and demerits of the present credit institutions. A Suggestion has been giver for bold departure from the current thinking and approach of the planners and administrators. The work concludes with presenting of some important criteria in the economics of small farming
About Author :
Sri P.K. Raghava raja is a high official in the administrative service of Madhya Pradesh. Besides his abilities as an administrator Sri Raghavan has interest in a vast range of acagemic subjects. He has contributed a Niumber of articles on socio-rconomis topics in research journals and news papers. His article "Self-employment in Rural Areas and Cenamatography " has earned him great acclaim among schlars Jwara,A Collection of research articles has-been mosly edited by him. His published work is Sagar Virasat aur Vikas (1993)
Contents :
Preface
1. Introduction
2. Agriculture in Madhya Pradesh
3. Some Thoughts on Agricultural Development
4. Small Family and Land Development
5. Irrigation and Cropping Pattern
6. Farm Forestry and Hokrticulture
7. Bio-Gas Plant
8. Role of Credit Institutions
9. Case Study and Its Results
10. Some Important Criteria in the Economics of Small Farming
11. Summary and Conclusion
Appendices
Bibliography
Index