Socio-Economic Status of Farm Households in Karanji Khurd Microwatershed for Watershed Planning and Development Humnabad taluk, Bidar district, Karnataka

Abstract

The socio-economic outputs for the Karanji Khurd micro-watershed in Raipalli sub-watershed, Humnabad taluk and Bidar district are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 71.1 to 28.9 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age group of 18 to 30 populations is around 60.0 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 82.2 per cent.  Social groups belong to scheduled caste is around 30.0 per cent.  Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is the source of energy for a cooking among 60.0 per cent.  About 75.0 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system is around 70.0 per cent.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 60.0 per cent of sample households.  Rural migration to urban centre for employment is preventing among 10.0 per cent of farm households. 2  Women participation in decisions making are around 50.0 per cent of households were found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 1.3 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to small and medium farmers. Total cultivated area by dry land condition of among sample households.  Agriculture is the main occupation among 38.2 per cent and agriculture is the main agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation for 29.4 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs. 112687 per household. Mobile and television are popular communication mass media.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs. 250 per household, around 10 per cent of sample farmers having weeder.  The average value of livestock is around Rs. 19500 per household; about 20.0 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 835.1 grams (1698.4 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition recommendation at 827 gram. Around 40.0 per cent of sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs.42793 per household. About 90.0 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly average expenditure is around Rs.1765. Environmental Indicators-Ecosystem Services;  The value of ecosystem service helps to support investment to decision on soil and water conservation and in promoting sustainable land use.  The onsite cost of different soil nutrients lost due to soil erosion is around Rs. 982 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 417469 per year for the total area of 445.9 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 6636/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in red gram (Rs. 9600) followed by soybean (Rs. 3671).  The data on water requirement for producing one quintal of grain is considered for estimating the total value of water required for crop production. The per hectare value 3 of water used and value of water was maximum in redgram (Rs. 48024) followed by soybeans (Rs. 20594). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is redgram (90.6 %) and soybean (9.4 %).  In Karanji Khurd micro watershed, major soils are Devgiri (DGR) series is having deep soil depth covers around 1.5 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing red gram. BNG soil series are having very deep soil depth covers around 44.2 % of area; the crops are redgram (88.3 %) and soybean (11.7 %).  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for red gram ranges between Rs. 36603/ha in BGN soil (with BCR of 1.32) and Rs. 30426/ha in DGR soil (with BCR of 1.19).  In soybean the cost of cultivation in BGN soil is Rs 28478/ha (with BCR of 1.13).  The land management practices reported by the farmers are crop rotation, tillage practices, fertilizer application and use of farm yard manure (FYM). Due to higher wages farmer are following labour saving strategies is not prating soil and water conservation measures. Less ownership of livestock limiting application of FYM.  It was observed soil quality influences on the type and intensity of land use. More fertilizer applications in deeper soil to maximize returns. Suggestions;  Involving farmers is watershed planning helps in strengthing institutional participation.  The per capita food consumption and monthly income is very low. Diversifying income generation activities from crop and livestock production in order to reduce risk related to drought and market prices.  Majority of farmers reported that they are not getting timely support/extension services from the concerned development departments.  By strengthing agricultural extension for providing timely advice improved technology there is scope to increase in net income of farm households.  By adopting recommended package of practices by following the soil test fertiliser recommendation, there is scope to increase yield in redgram (39.4 to 50.8 %) and soybean (23.8 %).