TY  - PC
AU  - Erenstein,O.
AU  - Singh,J.
AU  - Thorpe,W.
AU  - Varma,A.
TI  - Crop-livestock interactions and livelihoods in the gangetic plains of West Bengal, India:  Findings from a scoping study
PY  - 2010///
KW  - Crop-livestock interactions
KW  - Indo-Gangetic Plain
KW  - livelihoods
KW  - Mixed farming systems
KW  - Rice
KW  - AGROVOC
N2  - The research and development (R & D) community faces the challenge of sustaining crop productivity gains, improving rural livelihoods and securing environmental sustainability in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). This calls for a better understanding of farming systems and of rural livelihoods, particularly with the advent of, and strong advocacy for, conservation agriculture and resource-conserving technologies. The paper summarizes the findings from a scoping study to assess crop-livestock interactions and rural livelihoods in the Gangetic Plains of West Bengal, drawing from a village survey in three districts (Malda, Nadia and Paschim Medinipur) and secondary data. The rice-cattle based rural livelihoods are in stark contrast with those in the western IGP, whereas the state's high human and livestock pressure and high poverty pose particular challenges to sustainable intensification and poverty reducing agricultural growth; particularly in the more remote districts. Strengthening the client orientation and productivity of the agricultural R&D community will be central to improving livelihoods and more sustainably using natural resources; and research on crop-livestock interaction serves as a good entry point for that process
T2  - SATSA Mukhapatra Annual Technical Issue
ER  -