Field Work

Over the past six years, I extensively engaged in fieldwork while conducting research at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NIAP) in New Delhi. This involved conducting focus group discussions and household surveys as a major part of my research efforts. To streamline this process, I employed the Open Data Kit (ODK) to create electronic versions of the questionnaires for all surveys. This encompassed various tasks, ranging from designing and coding interview schedules to identifying survey agencies, training enumerators, closely supervising the survey process, and finally, compiling and cleaning the collected data. Below, I've outlined some of my notable experiences during this fieldwork.

1.  Adoption of Improved Varieties and Technologies in India” (2015-18)

We surveyed 18 major Indian states to assess the adoption of improved crop varieties and new agricultural technologies. Our sampling approach involved several steps. Initially, we selected districts that represented different agro-climatic zones (ACZ), taking into account the proportion of land dedicated to a specific crop. Subsequently, we determined the number of districts (denoted as 'x') in each ACZ within each state. This number was proportional to the area covered by each ACZ. In the third stage, we chose the 'x' districts with the highest crop production within each ACZ. Finally, we employed the 2011 Census database to randomly select blocks and villages within the chosen districts. On average, each state's survey comprised a sample size of 1500-2000 households. In total, these surveys encompassed over 30,000 participants 

2.  Impact Evaluation of Watershed Management Activities in Drought-Proof, Climate-Resilient Areas in Maharashtra (2017)

In the state of Maharashtra, both the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions have faced persistent agricultural challenges, particularly with recurring droughts in recent years. Consequently, we selected Yavatmal and Amravati from Vidarbha, along with Osmanabad and Beed from Marathwada, as our study areas. Our research involved conducting a household survey encompassing 800 farming households across these four districts. We carried out surveys in 50 villages, and within each village, we randomly selected and surveyed 8 households - a combination of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries.

3. Adoption and Impact of Conservation Agriculture (CA) Technology in Haryana and Punjab (2015)

We conducted household surveys in Haryana, spanning 50 villages across 10 districts, involving 717 farmers. Similarly, in Punjab, our surveys encompassed 61 villages across 12 districts and involved 716 farmers. The aim was to assess the adoption and effects of Conservation Agriculture (CA) technology. 

4. Innovative Financing for Agriculture and Food Value Chains (2014) 

In May and June of 2014, we conducted a survey targeting dairy farm households within the Indian state of Punjab. The objective was to uncover the dairy value chains and examine upstream financing mechanisms. We selected 612 households from 67 villages spanning six districts to achieve this. 

Photos from the field