Jaipur:
Nanaram's family is worried. The monsoon has had a lacklustre opening in Rajasthan and if it doesn't rain again in the next few days, their bajra crop will only be good for animal fodder.
"If there is some rain we can save some fodder from our fields but if it does not rain we won't be able to do that either and then we will have to buy foodgrain from the market. We have loans to repay. I have bought seeds to sow and used a tractor in my field on credit in the hope of a good crop," said Nanaram, a farmer.
But in Rajasthan's agricultural economics, where out of every seven years, four are rain deficient, falling back on livestock is actually a strategy for survival.
"There is a mixed economy here of livestock and agriculture. That's why in a crisis they sell animals; that's why Rajasthan's animal fairs are so famous," said Professor M S Rathore, Agricultural Economist.
Whether these fields will yield this year's foodgrain supply for Nanaram's family or the crop will only be good enough for animal feed, that's something the rain Gods will decide.
"If there is some rain we can save some fodder from our fields but if it does not rain we won't be able to do that either and then we will have to buy foodgrain from the market. We have loans to repay. I have bought seeds to sow and used a tractor in my field on credit in the hope of a good crop," said Nanaram, a farmer.
But in Rajasthan's agricultural economics, where out of every seven years, four are rain deficient, falling back on livestock is actually a strategy for survival.
"There is a mixed economy here of livestock and agriculture. That's why in a crisis they sell animals; that's why Rajasthan's animal fairs are so famous," said Professor M S Rathore, Agricultural Economist.
Whether these fields will yield this year's foodgrain supply for Nanaram's family or the crop will only be good enough for animal feed, that's something the rain Gods will decide.
