Impact of Health on Farm Production in West Bengal, India

Amrita Ghatak and S. Madheswaran
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Amrita Ghatak: Research Scholar,, Postal: Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore, India.
S. Madheswaran: Professor,, Postal: Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore, India

Bangladesh Development Studies, 2013, vol. 36, issue 1, 55-78

Abstract: The paper examines the impact of farmers’ health status on farm production at selected villages in West Bengal, India. Using a household production function model, the study finds that health status as measured by the number of sick-days reduces farm production. However, nutritional dimension of health indicated by BMI does not influence the farm production significantly. The issue has been further analysed using a profit function approach. The findings are consistent with other studies in which individuals with BMI as low as 16 are found to be healthy and actively participating in agricultural work. Although health status appears to be a significant determinant of farm profit for the marginal farmers, it is not so significant for the farmers with relatively large holdings of cultivable land. The study further reports that the disparity between agricultural wages and wages offered by MGNREGS programmes in the sample villages makes the farming activity less attractive and hence, increase in enrolment in MGNREGS work seems to have a negative impact on farm profit per unit of land.

Keywords: Welfare; Health and Economic Development; Poverty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D63 I15 I31 P46 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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