Socio-Economic Status of Farm Households in Babulgaon-2 micro-watershed for Watershed Planning and Development Humnabad taluk, Bidar district, Karnataka

Abstract

The socio-economic outputs for the Babulgaon-2 micro-watershed in Raipalli subwatershed, Humnabad taluk and Bidar district are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 68.1 to 31.9 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age group of 18 to 30 populations is around 57.5 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 85.1 per cent.  Social groups belong to other backward caste (OBC) is around 50 per cent.  Fire wood and liquefied petroleum gas is the source of energy for a cooking among 70 per cent.  About 40 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  About 30 percent of farm households are having MGNREGA card for rural employment.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system are among all households.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities, among all these study area household are not having toilet facilities. 2  Women participation in decisions making are around 90 per cent of households were found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 0.63 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belonging to marginal and small farmers. The total cultivated area by dry land condition of among all sample households.  Agriculture is the main occupation among 19.1per cent and agriculture is the main and agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation for 42.6 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs. 20229 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of livestock is around Rs.42667 per household; about 66.9 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 827grams (1879 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition recommendation at 827 gram. Around 82.9 per cent of sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs.31803 per household. Among all farm households are comes under the below poverty line.  The per capita average monthly expenditure is around Rs. 2039. 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. 1406 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 548361 per year for the total area of 403 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 22424/ ha/year. Per hector food grain production services is maximum in redgram (Rs. 35746) followed by sugarcane (Rs. 26202) and maize (Rs. 5324).  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 sugarcane (Rs. 146532) followed by redgram (Rs.63166) and maize (Rs. 25152). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is maize (17.3 %) followed by redgram (53.8%) sugarcane (25.5 %).  In Babulgaon-2 micro watershed, major soils of Babulgoan (BGN) series are having very soil depth cover around 17.7 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing redgram. Mudhanal (MNL) are also having deep soil depth cover around 3.7 % of area, major crops are redgram. Muthangi (MTN) soil series having moderately soil depth cover around 19.7 % of areas, crops are sugarcane. Mustarwadi (MWD) and soil series having very deep soil depth cover 24.7 % of areas crops are maize (29 %) and redgram (71%).  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for redgram ranges between Rs. 66484/ha in MNL soil (with of BCR of 0.83) and Rs. 41914/ha in MWD soil (with of BCR 1.15).  In sugarcane the cost of cultivation in MTN soil is Rs. 123820/ha (with of BCR 1.21).  In maize the cost of cultivation Rs. 23492/ha in MWD soil (with BCR of 1.23)  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. 4  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 (2.7 to 48%) followed by sugarcane (10.7%) and maize (75.2%).