Socio-Economic Status of Farm Households in Kethahalli Microwatershed for Watershed Planning and Development Chamrajanagara Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The socio-economic outputs for the Kethahalli Microwatershed in Chamarajanagar taluk and district are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 58.0 to 42.0 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is around 50 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 60.4 per cent.  Social groups belong to general caste is around 45.0 per cent.  Liquefied petroleum gas is the source of energy for a cooking among 64.0 per cent.  About 91.0 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Majority of farm households (55.0 %) are having MGNREGA card for rural employment.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system among all the sample  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 91.0 per cent of sample households.  Institutional participation is only 2.1 per cent of sample households. 2  Women participation in decisions making are around 10 per cent of households were found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 0.76ha indicates that majority of farm households are belonging to small and medium farmers. The dry land of 83.7 % and irrigated land 16.3 % of total cultivated land area among the sample farmers.  Agriculture is the main occupation among 27.1 per cent and agriculture is the main and agriculture labour is a subsidiary occupation is around 31.3 % of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs.12792 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs. 6750 per household, about 46.0 per cent of sample farmers having plough.  The average value of livestock is around Rs. 40625 per household; about 60.0 per cent of household are having crossbred milching cow.  The average per capita food grain consumption is around 616.36 grams (1394.1 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 827 gram. All among sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs. 60222 per household. About 90.9 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly average expenditure is around Rs. 1347. 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. 359.67per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 20272 per year for the total area of 44.17 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs 47956/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in tomato (Rs. 289429) followed by cowpea (Rs. 13343), turmeric (Rs. 12821), beans (Rs. 9620), horse gram (Rs. 7363), ragi (Rs. 3110) and sorghum (Rs. 400). 3  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs. 1619/ ha/year. Per hectare fodder production services is maximum in ragi (Rs. 1208) followed by sorghum (Rs. 2378), cowpea (Rs. 1482) and horse gram (Rs. 1409).  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 beans (Rs. 842023) followed by turmeric (Rs. 113689), tomato (Rs. 79287), sorghum (Rs. 55845), horse gram (Rs. 48669), ragi (Rs. 11067) and cowpea (Rs. 9307). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is horsegram (37.4 %) followed by sorghum (31.3 %) ragi (17.1 %), tomato (6.8 %), beans (3.4 %), cowpea (3.4 %) and turmeric (0.6 %).  In Kethahalli micro-watershed, major soil is Hallikere (HLK) series having very deep soil depth cover around 1.95 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing horsegram (50.0 %) and ragi (50.0 %). Harve (HRV) and Kaggalipura (KGP) soil series are having shallow soil depth covers around 6.07 % and 10.03 % of area, respectively, the major crops grown is horse gram, ragi, cowpea and sorghum. Kutegoudanahundi (KGH), Kethanpura (KTP) and Lakkur (LKR) soil series are having moderately shallow soil depth covers around 5.81 %, 3.26 % and 20.84 % area, respectively; the major crops grown are horse gram, sorghum and turmeric. Hooradhahalli (HDH) and Kanchikere (KKR) soil series are having moderately deep soil depth covers around 13.22 % and 0.50 % area, respectively. The major crops grown are horsegram, ragi, and sorghum. Kethahalli (KTH) soil series are having deep soil depth cover around 9.22 % area; the major crops grown are tomato and beans.  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for horse gram ranges between Rs. 39103/ha in KGH soil (with BCR of 1.72) and Rs. 10171/ha in HRV soil (with BCR of 3.23).  In sorghum the cost of cultivation range between Rs. 26977/ha in KGP soil (with BCR of 0.71) and Rs.14554/ha in HRV soil (with BCR of 2.18).  In ragi the cost of cultivation range between Rs. 31662/ha in KKR soil (with BCR of 0.91) and Rs. 21777/ha in HRV soil (with BCR of 1.39).  In beans the cost of cultivation in KKR soil is Rs.108940/ha (with BCR of 1.90). 4  In cowpea the cost of cultivation in KGP soil is Rs. 23707/ha (with BCR of 1.56) and turmeric the cost of cultivation in LKR soil is Rs. 536068/ha (with BCR of 1.02).  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 horsegram (8.0 to 34.2 %), sorghum (44.3 to 82.4 %), ragi (67.6 to 75.7 %), cowpea (39.3 %) and turmeric and beans are negative return.