1Scientist and Principal Scientist, Division of Agricultural Economics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
2Principal Scientist- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology., Hyderabad, Telanagana
3Principal Scientist- ICAR- Central Research Institue for Dryland Agriculture. Hyderabad, Telanagana
Online published on 14 April, 2021.
An assessment of the risk incidence on rainfed agriculture and the attitude of farmers towards risks is attempted in this paper using a sample of 244 cotton farmers from Maharashtra. The farmers perceived risk due to variation and scarcity of rainfall as most important, followed by that due to extreme weather conditions. Among biotic factors, risk due to pests affected them the most. The risk attitude of farmers were assessed, based on which the farmers were classified into risk taking and risk averse groups. 62 per cent of the farmers in the sample region were risk takers and 38 per cent were risk averse. The Risk adaptation strategies adopted by them included both ex ante and ex post measures. Farmers also raised higher level of concern with respect to the effectiveness of extension system, especially the private sector ones, for dissemination of farming related information.
Agricultural risks, Extension system, Rainfed agriculture, Risk attitude, Risk adaptation
