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Abstract
Abiotic stresses observed in the village Kaudikol , district Cuttack, Orissa
have been recorded for 8 years and analysed. Survey data collected for
four years (1996-97 to 1999-2000) from the farmers of this village have been
analysed to find out their livelihood system, importance of rice in this
system and the coping mechanisms followed by them in case of loss to
the kharif rice crop. The abiotic stresses have been found to cause flood
/ submergence to different degrees in 5 years, drought in 3 years and
cyclone in one year out of the total 8 years, causing production losses to
rice. The maximum losses to rice crop have been observed during 1999
kharif season due to cyclone. It has been found that rice is the major crop
during the kharif season, covering up to 79 per cent of the total cultivated
area with contribution of 21 per cent to total income. Service has been
found to be the most important source of income, followed by rice and
business. The average annual income of the farmers has been noticed to
vary from Rs 23,329 for marginal farmers to Rs 84,072 for large farmers over
the period 1997-98 to 1999-2000. Rice has been found to be the major
source of income for medium than other categories of farmers. For large
farmers, salaried job has been observed as the most important source of
income. The marginal and small farmers have been found to compensate
their rice income loss from sources like wage earnings, jute and rabi/
summer rice.
Through non-farm income and crop diversification, the farmers have been
able to reduce the effect of rice income losses to some extent. Therefore,
more non-farm employment opportunities should be created in this area to
increase income and living standard of the farmers. Development of
submergence-tolerant varieties with high-yield is the priority area for rice
research in this area. There is also a need to introduce crop insurance
scheme for rice crop in this area.