Bidhan Chandra Roy

Madhusudan Ghosh

Debashis Sarkar

Divided into three parts - Rationale and Extent of Agricultural Diversification, Nature and Problems of Agricultural Diversification, and Food and Livelihood Security through Agricultural Diversification, this edited book examines various aspects of agricultural diversification in Eastern India. In recent years, Indian agriculture has been diversifying from cereals to high-value crops and livestock products in accordance with the changing consumption patterns. As such, it faces the challenges of a new economic regime, besides the usual problems of rising population, unemployment and poverty, declining investments in the agriculture sector and degradation of natural resources. These issues are discussed in the book in light of the significant transformation in the economic structure of the Indian economy from agriculture to non-agriculture (industry and services) and changing cropping pattern from cereals to non-cereals, in accordance with the changing consumption pattern. The book would be of interest to teachers, researchers, policymakers, students and general readers having an interest in agricultural development in India.

Diversification of Agriculture in Eastern India

Upon the backdrop of impressive progress made by the Indian economy during the last two decades after the large-scale economic reforms in the early 1990s, this book evaluates the performance of the economy on some income and non-income dimensions of development at the national, state and sectoral levels. It examines regional economic growth and inequality in income originating from agriculture, industry and services. In view of the importance of the agricultural sector, despite its declining share in gross domestic product, it evaluates the performance of agricultural production and the impact of agricultural reforms on spatial integration of food grain markets. It studies rural poverty, analyzing the trend in employment, the trickle-down process and the inclusiveness of growth in rural India. It also evaluates the impact of microfinance, as an instrument of financial inclusion, on the socio-economic conditions of rural households. Lastly, it examines the relative performance of fifteen major states of India in terms of education, health and human development. An important feature of the book is that it approaches these issues, applying rigorously advanced econometric methods, and focusing primarily on their regional disparities during the post-reform period vis-à-vis the pre-reform period. It offers important results to guide policies for future development.

Madhusudan Ghosh

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