Study of the Impact of Diversification on Income and Employment of the Sample House Holds of Ghaziabad and Baghpat Districts, in Western U.P.

The present study was undertaken in Baghpat and Ghaziabad district of western U.P., based on high and low productivity of major crops in the year 2006-07. Two blocks from each of these two districts were selected randomly for the study. In total 240 respondents from Ghaziabad and Baghpat district each were interviewed. It was observed during the survey that sugarcane and wheat are the predominant cropping system in these two districts of western Uttar Pradesh. Wild animals like, wild pig, blue bulls, insects and disease are major bio-physical constraints. Marketing and cost factors are major socio-economic constraints for diversification of farming system towards vegetables, fisheries, piggery, poultry etc. Majority of farmers kept dairy animals for their home consumption. Small farmers sold milk for enhancing their income to fulfill their family requirements. Crop + dairy is a major farming system in the area. Generally, farmers did not avail agriculture credit facility to diversify their farm business. In general farmers of the area were following traditional farm business. Crop + dairy is a traditional farming system. Dairy activity is taken as complimentary enterprise on the farms