To examine the economic viability of agriculture in tribal areas and to give direction for initiating appropriate investments in tribal areas for maximising agriculture production without compromising the environmental sustainability, the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) has undertaken a study of tribal farming systems of seven states- Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
This is a two-year project being sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). The study will analyse agriculture techniques in tribal areas, the factors influencing the transition of subsistence-based agriculture to modern methods, the contribution of agriculture to the overall well being of tribal communities, the contribution of agricultural practices to the sustainability of ecosystems in terms of soil fertility, land and water conservation and to examine the economic viability of agriculture in tribal areas.
“The study is conceptualised using an inclusive growth perspective and is centred on the transitional characteristic of agriculture in tribal areas. The study will look into the economic viability, contribution to the communities and ecosystem sustainability,” says Odisha-Jharkhand coordinator of the project Tapas Kumar Sarangi.
The study will try to understand the agricultural practices in tribal areas. It also aims to examine the role of market, institutions, environment policies and gender in shaping this transition, he informed.
The study from the institutional point of view will analyse spatial and temporal analysis of traditional uses, territorial land rights, ownership and power relations in tribal areas.
The study will depend on both primary and secondary data. The primary data will be generated using focus group discussions and household surveys by taking samples from major tribal groups. Each tribal group will be considered as a homogeneous group while taking samples. About three agricultural settlements (small, medium and large) from each state will be selected for sampling purposes based on the review of secondary information.