Socio-Economic Status of Farm Households in Honnegaudanahalli Microwatershed for Watershed Planning and Development Gundlupet Taluk, Chamarajanagar District Karnataka

Abstract

The socio-economic outputs for the Honnegaudanahalli micro-watershed (Basavapur sub-watershed, Gundlupet taluk and Chamarajanagar district) are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 52.0 to 48.0 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is around 54 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 72 per cent.  Social groups belong to general caste is around 70 per cent.  Liquefied petroleum gas is the source of energy for a cooking among all sample households.  About 60 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Majority of farm households (30 %) are having MGNREGA card for rural employment.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system is around 80 per cent.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 70 per cent of sample households. 2  Institutional participation is only 17.0 per cent of sample households.  Women participation in decisions making of agriculture production among all sample households was found. Economic Indicators;  The average landholding is 0.8 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to marginal and small farmers. The dry land account for 32.7 % and irrigated land is 67.3 % of total cultivable land among the sample households.  Agriculture is the main occupation among 20.0 per cent and agriculture is the main and agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation for 68.0 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs.14057 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs.10921 per household, among the all sample farmers having plough and sprayer (20 %).  The average value of livestock is around Rs.17170 per household; about 60 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 471.5 grams (1195.3 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 827 gram. Among the all sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs.168282 per household. About 50 per cent on of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita average monthly expenditure is around Rs.814. 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.711 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs.396566 per year for the total area of 122.6 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 75847/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in garlic (Rs. 3 558310) followed by onion (Rs. 120939) horse gram (Rs. 11625), sunflower (Rs. 7550), maize (Rs .7447) and sorghum (Rs. 1857).  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs. 2924/ ha/year. Per hectare fodder production services is maximum in gram (Rs. 3203) followed by maize (Rs. 1482) and sorghum (Rs. 1671).  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 of water used and value of water was maximum in turmeric (Rs. 77136) followed by sorghum (Rs. 41633), garlic (Rs. 40288), onion (Rs. 29291), sunflower (Rs. 28602), horse gram (Rs. 25170) and maize (Rs. 21128). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is by onion (26.8 %), followed by horse gram (16.2 %), sorghum (15.1 %), turmeric (14.2 %) sunflower (10.6 %), garlic (10.6 %), beetroot (3.3 %) and maize (3.3 %).  In Honnegaudanahalli micro-watershed, major soil are Hindupur (HDR) soil are having shallow soil depth cover around 10.4 % of area; crops are beet root (15.9 %), maize (31.9 %), sunflower (20.3 %), turmeric (31.9 %). Magoonahalli (MGH) soil series are having moderately shallow soil depth cover around 20 % of area; crops are onion (50 %) and turmeric (50 %). Kannigala (KNG) soil are having moderately deep soil depth cover around 9.4% of area; crops area horsegram (25.4 %) and sunflower (74.6 %), Beemanabeedu (BMB) soil are having very deep moderately soils depth cover around 15.2 % of area; crops are horse gram (22.5 %), sorghum (22.8 %), onion (22.9 %), sunflower (8.4 %) and turmeric (2.4 %) and Kallipura (KLP) soil series are very deep soil depth cover around (16.9 %) of area; crops are horse gram (50%) and sorghum (50%).  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for sunflower ranges between Rs.40164/ha in HDR soil (With BCR of 1.02) and Rs. 27618/ha in KNG soil (with BCR of 1.07).  In turmeric the cost of cultivation range between is Rs. 818442/ha in BMB soil (with of 1.16) and Rs 93334 in HDR soil (with BCR of 2.12).  In onion the cost of cultivation range between Rs. 198935/ha in BMB soil (with BCR of 2.25) and Rs. 63126/ha in MGH soil (with BCR of 3.01). 4  In horse gram the cost of cultivation ranges between Rs.33643/ha in KNG soil (with BCR of 1.12) and Rs.13169/ha in BMB soil (with BCR of 1.21).  In sorghum the cost of cultivation range between Rs. 26791/ha in BMB soil (with BCR of 1.15) and Rs. 25532/ha in KLP soil (with BCR of 1.16).  In garlic the cost of cultivation in BMB soil is Rs. 57290/ha (with BCR of 10.75).  In beetroot the cost of cultivation in HDR soil is Rs. 43823/ha (with BCR of 1.13) and maize the cost of cultivation in Rs. 24539/ha (with BCR of 1.36).  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 are 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 beetroot(91.6 %), maize(79.2 %), sunflower (28.3 to 73.4 %), turmeric (0 to 39.3 %), onion (70.6 %), horse gram (9.6 to 25.6% %), sorghum(53.6% to 52.9 %), garlic (12.4 %) and onion (48.5 %).