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Minor millets in Tamil Nadu, India: local market participation, on-farm diversity and farmer welfare

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2012

Hiroyuki Takeshima  and
Latha Nagarajan
Hiroyuki Takeshima
Affiliation:
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), USA. Email: h.takeshima@cgiar.org
Latha Nagarajan
Affiliation:
International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), 1331 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA. Email: lnagarajan@ifdc.org
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Abstract

Although farmer market participation raises income, it often also reduces on-farm varietal diversity. However, for under-utilized crops like minor millets, market participation may actually encourage growers to increase on-farm diversity through better access to new varieties exchanged at local markets and higher returns from varieties already grown. We test this hypothesis in two different agro-ecological niches, the Plains and the Hills in southern India. Empirical results based on propensity score matching indicate that, in the less fertile dryland plains, market participation improved on-farm varietal diversity of minor millets and increased net revenues – albeit with insignificant welfare effects on farm households. On the other hand, in the fertile hill ecosystems, market development had no effect on varietal diversity. Insights from such a comparison could help design suitable policy interventions for on-farm conservation of under-utilized crops in their own agro-ecosystems through active stakeholder participation.

Type
Research Article
Information
Environment and Development Economics , Volume 17 , Issue 5: Seed supply in local markets: supporting sustainable use of crop genetic resources , October 2012 , pp. 603 - 632
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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