Assessing the Socio-Economic Impact of IAMWARM on Rural Beneficiaries in Tiruchirappalli District of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

The Irrigated Agriculture Modernization and Water Bodies Restoration and Management (IAMWARM) project, implemented in Tamil Nadu in 2007, aimed to enhance irrigation services and adopt modern water-saving technologies. This study, conducted in the Ponnaniyar sub-basin of Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu, evaluates the socio-economic impact of IAMWARM on farmers. An ex-post facto research design was used, with 120 farmers selected from five villages through proportionate random sampling. The study examined various independent variables, including age, education, landholding, farming experience, information utilization, economic motivation, scientific orientation, innovativeness, risk orientation, and training received. The dependent variable focused on the socio-economic impact of IAMWARM. The analysis showed that most farmers were middle-aged, with marginal landholdings, medium farming experience, and moderate levels of information utilization, economic motivation, scientific orientation, and innovativeness. Correlation analysis indicated significant positive relationships between education, information source utilization, economic motivation, risk orientation, and innovativeness with the socio-economic impact, while age, landholding, and farming experience had no significant effect. Key constraints identified by farmers included poor socio-economic status, waterways running through different holdings, inadequate credit facilities, and rising labour costs. Suggestions for improvement included timely subsidy distribution, better communication about subsidy availability, and training for labourers and farmers on innovative technologies. The study highlights the importance of addressing these issues for enhancing the overall effectiveness of IAMWARM in benefiting farmers.