Economic Study on Targeting Rice Fallow Area (TRFA) Scheme in Kalyana Karnataka Region

DOI: 10.22161/ijeab.115.17

Abstract:
Rice is a major staple crop cultivated extensively in Karnataka; however, a substantial portion of the rice area remains fallow during the rabi season due to moisture stress, inadequate irrigation facilities and limited awareness regarding suitable crop diversification options. These rice fallow areas offer considerable scope for enhancing agricultural production, farm income and employment through the cultivation of short-duration pulses and oilseeds. In this background, the present study analyses the impact of the Targeting Rice Fallow Areas (TRFA) scheme on area utilization, production performance, income and employment of farmers in Karnataka, with special emphasis on the Kalyana Karnataka region. The study was conducted in Raichur and Ballari districts of Kalyana Karnataka using a multistage random sampling technique. Primary data were collected from 120 sample farmers, comprising 60 TRFA beneficiary farmers and 60 non-beneficiary farmers. In addition, data were collected from 10 government officials of the Department of Agriculture to identify the major constraints in the implementation of the TRFA scheme. Secondary data on area, production and productivity of pulses and oilseeds were collected for the period 2008-09 to 2023-24. The analytical tools employed included compound annual growth rate (CAG) and Difference-in-Difference (DiD) technique. The results revealed that in Kalyana Karnataka, the area under pulses increased marginally by 0.46 per cent during the post-TRFA period, while production and productivity declined by 3.95 per cent and 4.39 per cent, respectively. In contrast, oilseeds showed better performance with an increase in area (2.56%), production (8.80%) and productivity (6.44%), indicating a stronger positive impact of the TRFA scheme. At the state level, oilseeds recorded higher growth in production (5.62%) compared to pulses. The extent of utilization of rice fallow areas was significantly higher among TRFA beneficiary farmers, contributing to improved cropping intensity. The Difference-in-Difference analysis indicated that TRFA beneficiary farmers experienced a significant increase in annual farm income ranging from Rs.27419 per farm and generated additional employment of about 38 man-days per annum compared to non-beneficiaries. The study recommends timely fund release, development and promotion of short-duration, drought-tolerant pulse varieties suitable for rice fallow conditions and adoption of crop replacement strategies such as promoting sunflower in place of poorly performing crops like mustard. Further, advance identification and mapping of suitable rice fallow areas, intensive pre-season awareness programmes and strengthening of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are essential to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the TRFA scheme.

Keywords:
Employment, Farm income, Kalyana Karnataka, Rice fallow, TRFA scheme.

Article Info:
Received: 06 Sep 2026; Received in revised form: 04 Oct 2026; Accepted: 09 Oct 2026; Available online: 16 Oct 2026

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