CALL FOR RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS (Revitalizing Rainfed Agriculture - RRA network)

CALL FOR RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS

REVITALISING RAINFED AGRICULTURE (RRA) NETWORK is a network of organizations and individuals attempting to build a macro-economic case for improved targeting of public investments and policies in support of rain-fed agriculture. The network has emerged based on the collective understanding that agricultural policies designed for relatively secure and well-endowed parts of the country have been indiscriminately extended into rainfed areas. Such an extension has contributed to a range of crises, including the depletion of groundwater and natural resources, escalating input costs, and a secular decline in farmers’ incomes. 

This network is pursuing a broad engagement with practitioners, researchers and government on issues confronting rain-fed areas. The network hopes to use evidence from different parts of the country, in combination with macro-economic and other research to build the case for a shift in agricultural policy. The network believes that such a re-orientation in public policy will contribute to both regional economic growth and ecological restoration of rain-fed areas.  

RRA-Network invites applications from researchers to undertake a range of studies to further our understanding of the existing structure and regional disparities in public investments (around subsidies, support prices, the structuring of the PDS, the availability of credit and so on), develop simulations to model macro-economic returns under a range of policy/investment regimes in rainfed India and analysis of various policy options. 

Interested researchers should send resumes with 3 references, 2 sample publications and a brief expression of interest  to Coordinator, Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture (RRA) Network (Email: rainfedfarming@gmail.com). RRA will be looking for research support on an ongoing basis. 

The Revitalizing Rainfed Agriculture Network is funded by the Hivos-Ford Foundation Dryland Agriculture Fund and is anchored by Watershed Support Services and Activities Network (WASSAN), 12-13-450, Street No. 1, Tarnaka, Secunderabad – 500 017, Andhra Pradesh, India, Tel. No. (040) 27015295 / 96, Website: www.wassan.org / www.rainfedfarming.org