Impact of Micro Irrigation Technology on Food and Nutritional Security in Andhra Pradesh

Considering the importance of micro irrigation system (MIS) in improving food security and reducing undernourishment of the people, the study has attempted to find answer to the following questions: (i) What is the pattern of household expenditure across MIS adopters and non-adopters in Andhra Pradesh? Has MIS adoption made any impact on food and nutritional security of households? and (ii) What are the determinants of food security level among MIS adopters and non-adopters? For study, primary data were collected from a sample of 778 farmers (642 adopters + 136 non-adopters) selected randomly from three districts, viz. Aantapuram, Kurnool and West Godavari. For making a comparative study, a food insecurity index was computed based on per capita household food expenditure. The study has found that among all exploratory variables, adoption of MIS has been found positive and significant. Thus, the study has concluded that MIS adoption increases food and nutrional security of households and should be disseminated widely across the farming community.