ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Articles by Seema PurushothamanSubscribe to Seema Purushothaman

Urbanisation and New Agroecologies

Rural–urban interfaces worldwide are increasingly witnessing massive transformations in the structure, functions, and services of complex ecosystems of these zones. An attempt has been made to understand the transitions triggered by urbanisation in the peri-urban agricultural systems of Bengaluru. Using a combination of land-use change analysis and group interactions, the temporal and spatial patterns in the impacts of urban expansion on agroecology in Bengaluru’s peripheries have been traced. The varying nature of agroecological and sociocultural impacts corresponding to differences in the pattern of urban expansion along different directions from the city have also been unravelled. Further, agroecological repercussions of existing and proposed urban planning strategies for Bengaluru have been discussed.

Regional Economies and Small Farmers in Karnataka

The divergence between economic growth and equality in the Indian context can be attributed to the disconnect between the macroeconomy and regional rural economies that host small landholdings. Comparing the agrarian peripheries of two distinct capital-accumulating urban areas in Karnataka, a decipherable pattern in distributional outcomes, food and livelihood security as well as sustainability are revealed. The portrayal of capital-centric urbanisation as an opportunity for livelihoods and poverty reduction among India’s agrarian communities is questioned.

Land-Use Strategies for Tribals: A Socio-Economic Analysis

The paper seeks to identify alternate land-use and management strategies to strengthen the livelihood base of poor marginal farmers in the dry forest peripheries of India. Land alienation, soil degradation, wild animal attacks, and declining access to forests have debilitated the livelihood base of this tribal community. Benefit cost analyses and stakeholder discussions reveal that millet-based dry farming with adoption of soil conservation or growing perennials on field bunds are economically efficient relative to current practices and enjoy stakeholder acceptance. Some other economically superior alternate land-uses are not acceptable locally, indicating the care with which tribal development policies need to be made.

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