Agricultural Growth and Rural Poverty Reduction in India: Targeting Investments and Input Subsidies

Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Contextualising Public Intervention in Agriculture and Welfare Effects. 3. Spatial Patterns in Public Expenditure, Subsidies, and Outcomes. 4. Changing Composition of Private Investment and Its Relation to Public Investment and Input Subsidy in Agriculture. 5. Welfare Effects of Investments and Input Subsidies. 6. Major Findings, Implications, and Reflections on Input Subsidy. This book provides a blueprint for the allocation of public expenditures in and for agriculture at the dis-aggregated state level and suggests a reorientation in favour of disadvantaged regions where the marginal returns on additional investments would be higher. It provides insights into the inter-linkages between public expenditures, private investment, rural poverty, and agriculture productivity from a regional perspective to reflect upon spatial differences in the welfare effects of various investments, subsidies, and policies. The book focuses on agricultural growth and rural poverty reduction through public and private investments, non-farm employment, and other pathways to the formulation of appropriate policies at the dis-aggregated state level. It presents new evidence based on advanced econometric tools for analysing and understanding the relationship between public and private investments in agriculture and input subsidies (fertilizer, power, irrigation, and credit) together with their impacts at the dis-aggregated state level. The book also deliberates on an income based direct support system for farmers as an alternative to the existing input price subsidy regime. Accordingly, the book offers valuable insights not only for researchers working on poverty alleviation, rural economy, and agricultural growth, but also for policymakers.…