ENHANCING THE LIVELIHOOD SECURITY THROUGH HYBRID RICE CULTIVATION IN TRIBAL AREA OF UTTARAKHAND: AN APPLICATION OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING APPROACH

H.N. SINGH¹, V.K. PAL², J. SINGH³, M. PANT⁴, V.V. SINGH⁵, TESHU KUMAR⁶, ASHISH DWIVEDI⁷*
¹Department of Agricultural Economics, G.B.P.U.A&T, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
²Department of Agricultural Economics, G.B.P.U.A&T, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
³Department of Agricultural Economics, G.B.P.U.A&T, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
⁴Department of Agricultural Economics, G.B.P.U.A&T, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
⁵Department of Agronomy, G.B.P.U.A&T, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
⁶Department of Economics, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, 250110, U.P.
⁷Department of Agronomy, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, 250110, U.P.
* Corresponding Author : ashishdwivedi842@gmail.com

Received : 09-12-2015     Accepted : 22-01-2016     Published : 07-02-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 3       Pages : 973 - 977
Int J Agr Sci 8.3 (2016):973-977

Keywords : Hybrid rice, livelihood security, CACP concepts, linear programming, gini-coefficient
Academic Editor : P. K. Bora , S. Meti
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

Farm level data were used to analyze the impact of hybrid rice (PA 6444) cultivation for livelihood security and income enhancement on tribal farm households in community development block Kalsi of Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. 89 tribal farmers were selected randomly for finding cost and return of rice varieties, farm income inequality and optimum crop plan. CACP costs concept (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) and linear programming model (LINDO compute based software) were used for calculating costs and returns and to develop optimal crop combination for tribal farmers respectively. Gini-coefficient was used for finding farm income inequality. Gross return and net returns per hectare were found highest in hybrid rice than other varieties. Per rupee invested was also highest which was ₹1.74. LP model suggested that hybrid rice (PA 6444) and pant dhan-12 were feasible in tribal area and net return was increased about 121%. Gini-coefficient indicated farm income equality in year 2012-13 was more in comparison to year 2013-14 when hybrid rice was introduced in this year on the tribal farm. This study shows more area should be allocated under hybrid rice cultivation so that income of tribal farmers can be increase for ensuring their livelihood security and reduce the farm income inequality.