Indian Journal of Ecology

In the context of agrarian distress, the present paper aims to study the role of common pool resources in sustaining paddy cultivation in drought-prone areas of West Bengal, India. The study uses primary data collected from 456 households across two districts, Bankura and Purulia, during 2022. Most of the landholdings were marginal and small. Return over total cost (C2) was negative, implying paddy cultivation on these landholdings was not economically viable. Return over paid-out cost (A1) was substantial, indicating common pool resources have a great role in sustaining paddy cultivation and making farming a viable livelihood option for large masses of rural poor people in drought-prone areas by increasing productivity and saving costs through supplementing inputs. Paddy productivity was higher in households whose principal activity was cultivation, had a large family, had larger plots, including more ‘Bahal’ or ‘Kanali’ types, had irrigation potential from common pool water resources, had bullocks, used high-yielding-variety seeds, and had savings. This important form of natural resource is gradually degrading. Proper maintenance of common pool water resources, grazing land, and village forests with people's participation will be necessary for the sustainability of paddy cultivation in drought-prone areas.