Assessing the Impacts of Climate and Economic Changes on Indian Agriculture A Case Study of Groundnut Farmers in Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh

Background

Double Exposure in Anantapur Trade liberalisation of oilseeds and edible oils in Drought since

Vulnerability to Globalisation ANANTAPUR

Vulnerability to Climate Change ANANTAPUR

Map of India Delhi Hyderabad Anantapur Bangalore

Map of Anantapur district Ipperu village Kadiri

Research Strategy

Asian Social Forum, Hyderabad Key informant interviews in Hyderabad and Anantapur Collected statistics from government offices Group interviews with farmers, 2 villages Kadiri Household interviews in Ipperu village, outside Anantapur Research Strategy

Asian Social Forum

Farmer Suicides

Agriculture in Anantapur Groundnut is the major crop Rainfed agriculture Small and medium farmers; landless labourers

Agriculture in Anantapur 1970s: shift from subsistence crops to groundnut 1980s: Operation yellow – drive for self sufficiency in edible oil 1994: Trade liberalization of oilseeds/edible oils

Pre- 1970s: Subsistence Farming Diversity of crops (bajra, jowar, ragi, etc) Grain stocks Livestock Common lands Family Labour

Irrigated Jowar and Groundnut

Changing Conditions from 1970s Investments in infrastructure Demand for oilseeds from new local oilmills Subsidised food through PDS Reduced family labour supply  Shift to lucrative monocrop groundnut

Effects Expanding area under groundnut  Deterioration and privatization of common lands  Less fodder  Fewer livestock  Pest problems

Vulnerability To climate variability To trade liberalization

Drought – dried up tank

Falling water tables Normal water level

Irrigation

Rain-fed agriculture

Household Surveys

Findings

Price statistics -groundnut Source: Season and crop reports , Andhra Pradesh

Price statistics - groundnut Source: Annual Administration Reports of Agricultural Marketing Committees in Anantapur District,

Price statistics - groundnut

Source: Fieldwork, household interviews Economic impact on farmers, Ipperu

Possible Options

Water Harvesting

Prioritise water harvesting with appropriate technology Divert water from other river basins to compensate for rainfall shortage More R&D for rainfed crops Support for marketing value-added commodities based on dryland crops (eg: mango, papaya, sweet lime) Make credit available to small and medium farmers at reasonable interest rates Stop and reverse the privatisation of common lands Suggestions from Researchers and NGOs working in Anantapur

Outcomes: Usefulness of Case Studies Means of validating vulnerability indicators Ground-check on ‘reality’ as it is depicted in macro profiles Identify areas for further study and improvements that can be made in subsequent case studies Network and interact with Indian researchers and organisations Possibility for further collaborations in India

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