LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT HOSUR-2 (4D4A3J2d) MICRO WATERSHED Shirahatti Taluk, Gadag District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Hosur-2 microwatershed was conducted using village cadastral maps and IRS satellite imagery on 1:7920 scale. The false colour composites of IRS imagery were interpreted for physiography and these physiographic delineations were used as base for mapping soils. The soils were studied in several transects and a soil map was prepared with phases of soil series as mapping units. Random checks were made all over the area outside the transects to confirm and validate the soil map unit boundries. The soil map shows the geographic distribution and extent, characterstics, classification and use potentials of the soils in the microwartershed. The present study covers an area of 487 ha in Shirahatti taluk of Gadag district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought prone with an average annual rainfall of 633 mm of which about 363 mm is received during south –west monsoon, 165 mm during north-east and the remaining 105 mm during the rest of the year. An area of about 96 per cent is covered by soils, four per cent by waterbodies, settlements and others. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 6 soil series and 13 soil phases (management units) and 5 land management units.  The length of crop growing period is about 150 days starting from the 3rd week of June to 1st week of October.  From the master soil map, several interpretative and thematic maps like land capability, soil depth, surface soil texture, soil gravelliness, available water capacity, soil slope and soil erosion were generated.  Soil fertility status maps for macro and micronutrients were generated based on the surface soil samples collected at every 250 m grid interval.  Land suitability for growing major agricultural and horticultural crops were assessed and maps showing degree of suitability along with constraints were generated.  About 98 per cent area is suitable for agriculture.  About 19 per cent of the soils are deep (100 - 150 cm) to moderately deep (75-100 cm), 76 per cent are moderately shallow to shallow (25-75 cm) and about 3 per cent are very shallow (<25 cm) soils.  About 93 per cent of the area has clayey soils at the surface and 5 per cent loamy soils.  About 26 per cent of the area has non-gravelly soils, 23 per cent gravelly soils (15-35 % gravel) and 48 per cent very gravelly (35- 60% gravel) and extremely gravelly (60- 80%) soils.  About 19 per cent medium (101-150 mm/m), 67 per cent low (51-100 mm/m) to very low (<50mm/m) and 11 per cent very high (>200 mm/m) in available water capacity.  About 95 per cent area has gently to very gently sloping (1-5% slope) lands and 3 per cent is under gently sloping (3-5%) lands.  An area of about 49 per cent has soils that are slightly eroded (e1), 46 per cent moderately eroded (e2) and 3 per cent soils severely eroded (e3).  An area of about 22 per cent has soils that are slightly to moderately alkaline (pH 7.3 to 8.4) and 75 per cent strongly to very strongly alkaline (pH 8.4 to >9.0).  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dsm-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  About 75 per cent of the soils are medium (0.5-0.75%) in organic carbon, low (<0.5%) in about 3 per cent and 20 per cent of the soils are high (>0.75%) in organic carbon.  Entire area is low (<23 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  About 72 per cent medium (145-337 kg/ha) and 26 per cent high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is medium (10-20 ppm) in about 53 per cent area and 44 per cent area is high (>20 ppm).  Available boron is low (0.5 ppm) in about 89 per cent area, medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 8 per cent area and high (>1.0 ppm) in 1 per cent area.  Available iron is deficient in about 3 per cent area and sufficient in 95 per cent area.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  Available zinc is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in the entire area of the microwatershed.  The land suitability for 21 major crops grown in the microwatershed were assessed and the areas that are highly suitable (S1) and moderately suitable (S2) are given below. It is however to be noted that a given soil may be suitable for various crops but what specific crop to be grown may be decided by the farmer looking to his capacity to invest on various inputs, marketing infrastructure, price and finally the demand and supply position. SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS Baseline socioeconomic characterisation is prerequisite to prepare action plan for program implementation and to assess the project performance before making any changes in the watershed development program. The baseline provides appropriate policy direction for enhancing productivity and sustainability in agriculture. Methodology: Hosur-2 micro-watershed (Kanakvad sub-watershed, Shirahatti taluk, Gadag district) is located in between 1501’ – 1503’ North latitudes and 75039’ – 75041’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 487 ha, bounded by Chikasavanur, Narayanapur, Vadi and Kognur villages with length of growing period (LGP)150-180 days. We used soil resource map as basis for sampling farm households to test the hypothesis that soil quality influence crop selection, and conservation investment of farm households. The level of technology adoption and productivity gaps and livelihood patterns were analyses. The cost of soil degradation and ecosystem services were quantified. Results: The socio-economic outputs for the Hosur-2 micro-watershed (Kanakvad subwatershed, Shirahatti taluk, Gadag district) are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 60 to 40 Per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is 53.2 around per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 49 per cent.  Social groups belong to other backward caste (OBC) is around 60 percent and general caste about 20 percent.  Fire wood is the source of energy for a cooking among 90.0 per cent.  About 60.0 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  About 70 per cent of farm households are having MGNREGA card for rural employment.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system is around 90 per cent.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 90 per cent of sample households.  Institutional participation is only 2.3 per cent of sample households.  Women participation in decisions making are around 90 per cent of households were found. 2 Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 1.60 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to small and medium farmers. The dry land of 81.7 per cent and irrigated land 18.3 per cent of total cultivated land area among the sample farmers.  Agriculture is the main occupation among 37.8 per cent and agriculture is the main and agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation for 60 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs. 12322 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs. 6919 per household, about 30 per cent of sample farmers having weeder and plough.  The average value of livestock is around Rs. 26100 per household; about 58.3 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 935.1 grams (1980 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 827 gram. Around 40 per cent of sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs. 26210 per household. About 90.0 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita average monthly expenditure is around Rs.1223. 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. 931 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 443210 per year for the total area of 487 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 15168/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in maize (Rs. 5024) followed by sorghum (Rs. 24982), onion (Rs. 53475), horse gram and cotton negative returns.  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs. 1227/ ha/year. Per hectare fodder production services is maximum in maize (Rs. 2779), horse gram (Rs.1372) and sorghum (Rs. 732).  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 cotton (Rs. 54734) followed by horse gram (Rs. 28158), maize (Rs. 24365), onion (Rs. 24546) and sorghum (Rs. 41825). 3 Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is maize (70.2 %) followed by sorghum (13.6), onion (10.8 %), horse gram (2.7 %) and cotton (2.5 %).  In Hosur-2 micro-watershed, major soils are Attikatti (AKT) series are shallow soil depth cover around 16.6 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing cotton (23.4%) and maize (76.6 %). Yelisirunj (YSJ) soils are shallow soil depth cover around 47.3 % of area; major crops are cotton (9.4 %), maize (50.4 %) and onion (40.2 %). Attikatti Tanda (ATT) soils are moderately shallow soil depth covers around 11.7 % of area; major crop grown maize. Jelligeri (JLG) soils are moderately deep soil depth cover around 7.3 % of areas; major crops grown horse gram (16.7 %) and sorghum (83.3 %).  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for cotton ranges between Rs. 51801/ha in YSJ soil (with BCR of 1.24) and Rs.14140/ha in AKT soil (with BCR of 1.05).  In maize the cost of cultivation range between Rs 25035 ha in YSJ soil (with BCR of 1.24) and Rs.21238/ha in AKT soil (with BCR of 1.15).  In onion the cost of cultivation in YSJ soil is Rs. 15777/ha (with BCR of 4.39).  In horsegram cost of cultivation in JLG soil is Rs.35214 ha (with BCR of 0.95) and sorghum cost of cultivation in JLG soil is Rs.9324 ha (with BCR of 3.76).  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 strengthening 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 fertilizer recommendation, there is scope to increase yield in maize (78.2 to 73.1)