PL-480, Title II, Food for Work impact evaluation : study of land levelling; Catholic Relief Services (Bombay Zone)

Ex post impact evaluation covers FFW projects implemented during FY78-FY80 and is based on interviews with a sample of 365 beneficiaries and 72 nonbeneficiaries. The average size of land leveled was around one acre. Most beneficiaries were married men aged 31 to 50, illiterate, Hindu, from backward or scheduled castes or tribes, and with monthly incomes of 500 rupees or less. Up to 99% owned their homes but few had indoor plumbing or electricity. As a result of the project, average beneficiary household income increased 54% in FY78, 74% in FY79, and 70% in FY80. Compared to nonbeneficiaries, however, beneficiary incomes increased by 80% in FY78, 70% in FY79, and 99% in FY80. Land leveling enabled beneficiary families to cultivate their own land more intensively, resulting in average employment increases per family of 7% in FY78 and FY79 and 3% in FY80. Off-farm income also showed modest increases, but the importance of agricultural labor on other farms as a source of employment declined. Use of hired labor by beneficiaries increased. Land leveling also helped to increase irrigation, especially during Rabi season. Total area cropped and yield per beneficiary increased during both Kharif and Rabi. During Kharif, yield increases were 42%, 52%, 83% respectively during FY78, FY79, and FY80, while during Rabi the corresponding increases were 500%, 300%, and 200%. Both paddy and wheat (the two most important crops) showed yield increases. These improvements in yield per beneficiary were due in part to increases in cropped area, and in part to improvements in yield per acre. Comparison of beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries showed that total cropped area, crop yield per acre, and the value of output per acre were all higher for beneficiaries. Gross returns per beneficiary rose by 87% in FY78, 82% in FY79, and 131% in FY80 (due in part to price increases). Percentage of beneficiaries aware of the U.S. provenance of FFW commodities increased from 16% in FY78 to 32% in FY80.