This study examines pesticide use in Kuttanad, India, an ecologically sensitive area often referred to as the rice bowl of Kerala. Using primary data collected from pesticide applicators and farm labor, the study assesses short-term health costs associated with pesticide exposure. The study...

The Government of India appealed a new forest policy in 1988 which resulted in Joint Forest Management. This new policy allowed community groups to share part of the responsibility of forest management with the State. However, even before this, community-initiated and NGO-promoted "Collective...

There has been growing concern over conversion of coastal rice paddies to shrimp farms. This study estimates the external cost of shrimp-induced salinity on crop production by comparing two villages in southern India: Poovam, which is affected by salinity, with Thiruvettakudy, which is not. Our...

Migration literature has always considered environmental constraints as one of the prime movers of populations, especially from dry regions, where water rather than land is the primary limiting factor. In this study, we seek to analyze the impact of degradation of private land, as well as common...

Since 2002, the Indian state of Odisha has been undertaking a grassroots awareness campaign on "dos and don'ts" during heat wave conditions through the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) program. The selection criteria for DRM districts were earthquake, flood, and cyclone incidence, but subsequently...

It is widely believed that the decline in agricultural productivity in the Dhemaji district of Assam, India, is due to flood-induced sand depositions in paddy fields. Increased sand content reduces the water retaining capacity of soils and reduces crop productivity. Soil tests in 346...

This study examines the consequences of a) a domestic carbon tax policy, and, b) participation in a global tradable emission permits regime on carbon emissions, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and poverty, in India. The results, based a computable general equilibrium model of the Indian economy,...

There has been much interest recently in promoting decentralization in the forestry sector in the belief that it would bring in downward accountability, which in turn would ensure economic efficiency, sustainability of the resource, and social and economic equity. Since local users are likely to...

This paper analyses the complementarities between land productivity and conservation investments in the context of river embankment maintenance in the Indian Sundarbans. The study finds that households whose principal occupation is aquaculture commit more resources to embankment maintenance...