Land shaping technology: an option for management of degraded land for enhancing agricultural productivity in coastal region.

Abstract

The agricultural productivity in the coastal ecosystem is generally lower than the country’s average. The land in the coastal region is vulnerable to degradation due to combinations of natural, hydrological and anthropogenic factors. Soil salinization, waterlogging and drainage congestion besides the climatic constraints are the major processes of land degradation in agricultural land in the coastal region. The restoration of degraded lands over large coastal areas is highly expensive and to be taken up by the Govt. / Govt. agencies, which has not yet been possible. Attempts have been made to alleviate the land degradation processes of salinization, waterlogging and drainage congestion through land shaping technology adoptable at farmers’ level. Different land shaping techniques like farm pond, deep furrow & high ridge, paddy-cum-fish, broad bed & furrow, three tire system, pair bed system have been implemented in disadvantaged areas in Sundarbans region of Ganges delta (West Bengal) and Tsunami affected Andaman & Nicobar Islands covering 32 villages in 12 Clusters in 4 districts (North 24 Parganas & South 24 Parganas in West Bengal and, South Andaman and North & Middle Andaman in Andaman & Nicobar Islands).These techniques reduced the process of land degradation in coastal areas by alleviating soil salinity and waterlogging and drainage congestion problems. Raising of land and creating water harvesting facilities reduced the problem of drainage congestion and salinity build up in soil during dry months. Soil salinity was reduced by 40-65% due to these techniques. Reduction of salinity and drainage congestion and increase in availability of fresh water for irrigation helped the farmers to grow multiple and diversified crops round the year instead of mono-cropping with rice in monsoon season (Kharif). The cropping intensity has been increased up to 300 % from a base level value of 100% due to implementing the land shaping techniques in the study area. Compared to base line value the income of the farmers has increased by manifolds. Net return has been increased from Rs.22,000 to Rs. 1,00,000- 1,39,000 ha-1 in Sundarbans region. Farmers in degraded areas in Andaman & Nicobar Islands were realising net return of Rs. 1,47,000-2,21,000 ha-1 by implementing land shaping techniques compared to their income of Rs.24,000 before implementation of land shaping techniques. This technology has greater scope to create employment in own farm or in local area, e.g. in Sundarbans region, one hectare of land with this land shaping technique generated employment of around 400 man-days.