LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT KADECHOORA (4D5B1Q1b) MICROWATERSHED Sydhapur Hobli, Yadgir Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Kadechoora 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 boundaries. The soil map shows the geographic distribution and extent, characteristics, classification, behaviour and use potentials of the soils in the microwatershed. The present study covers an area of 536 ha in Kadechoora microwatershed in Yadgir taluk of Yadgir district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought- prone with an average annual rainfall of 866 mm, of which about 652 mm is received during south–west monsoon, 138 mm during north-east and the remaining 76 mm during the rest of the year. An area of about 71 per cent is covered by soils, 29 per cent by water bodies, settlements and mining and industrial areas. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 9 soil series and 9 soil phases (management units) and 4 land management units.  The length of crop growing period is about 120-150 days starting from the 1st week of June to 4th 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 26 major agricultural and horticultural crops were assessed and maps showing the degree of suitability along with constraints were generated.  About 71 per cent area is suitable for agriculture and 29 per cent is not suitable for agriculture but well suited for forestry, pasture, agro-forestry, silvi-pasture, recreation, mining, installation of wind mills and as habitat for wildlife.  About 3 per cent of the soils are moderately deep (75-100cm), about 59 per cent deep (100-150cm) to very deep (>150 cm) and 9 per cent are shallow to moderately shallow (25-75 cm) soils.  About 62 per cent of the area has clayey soils, 8 per cent loamy soils and one per cent sandy soils at the surface.  Entire area has non-gravelly soils.  About 59 per cent of the area has soils that are very high (>200mm/m) in available water capacity, less than one per cent medium (100-150 mm/m) and about 12 per cent low (51-100 mm/m) to very low (<50 mm/m).  Entire area has very gently sloping (1-3%) lands.  An area of about 18 per cent has soils that are slightly eroded (e1), 52 per cent moderately eroded (e2) and 1 per cent severely eroded (e3).  An area of about 7 per cent has slightly alkaline (pH 7.3-7.8), about 40 per cent has soils that are moderately alkaline (pH 7.8 to 8.4), about 21 per cent strongly alkaline (pH 8.4-9.0) and about 3 per cent very strongly alkaline (pH >9.0) in soil reaction.  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dsm- 1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  About 34 per cent medium (0.5-0.75%), 18 per cent low (<0.5%) and 19 per cent high (>0.75%) in organic carbon.  An area of 29 per cent has soils that are low (<23 kg/ha), 37 per cent medium (23-57 kg/ha) and 5 per cent high (>57 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  About 7 per cent medium (145-337 kg/ha) and 64 per cent high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in about 54 per cent area, medium (10- 20 ppm) in 16 per cent and high (>20 ppm) in about one per cent area.  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in about 13 per cent, 37 per cent medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) and high (>1.0 ppm) in about 22 per cent.  About 29 per cent area has soils that are deficient (<4.5 ppm) in available iron and 42 per cent sufficient (>4.5 ppm).  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  About 69 per cent area has soils that are deficient (<0.6 ppm) in available zinc and 2 per cent sufficient (>0.6 ppm).  The land suitability for 26 major crops grown in the microwatershed was 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, market price and finally the demand and supply position. Land suitability for various crops in the Kadechoora microwatershed Crop Suitability Area in ha (%) Crop Suitability Area in ha (%) Highly suitable (S1) Moderately suitable (S2) Highly suitable (S1) Moderately suitable (S2) Sorghum - 378 (70) Sapota - - Maize - 44 (8) Guava - - Red gram - 333 (62) Pomegranate - 333 (62) Bajra - 377 (70) Jackfruit - - Ground nut - 22 (4) Jamun - 331 (62) Sunflower - 334 (62) Musambi - 333 (62) Cotton - 377 (70) Lime - 333 (62) Bengalgram 16 (3) 362 (67) Cashew - - Chilli - 377 (70) Custard apple - 378 (70) Tomato - 44 (8) Amla - 377 (70) Drumstick - 333 (62) Tamarind - 333 (62) Mulberry - - Marigold - 377 (70) Mango - - Chrysanthemum - 377 (70) Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 4 identified LMUs by considering only the highly and moderately suitable lands for different crops and cropping systems with food, fodder, fibre and horticulture crops that helps in maintaining the ecological balance in the microwatershed  Maintaining soil-health is vital to crop production and conserve soil and land resource base for maintaining ecological balance and to mitigate climate change. For this, several ameliorative measures have been suggested to these problematic soils like saline/alkali, highly eroded, sandy soils etc.,  Soil and water conservation treatment plan has been prepared that would help in identifying the sites to be treated and also the type of structures required.  As part of the greening programme, several tree species have been suggested to be planted in marginal and submarginal lands, field bunds and also in the hillocks, mounds and ridges, that are edible, ecological and produce lot of biomass that helps to restore the ecological balance in the microwatershed FINDINGS OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY  The survey was conducted in Kadechur is located at North latitude 160 32’ 18.441" and 160 31' 7.07" and East longitude 770 20’ 40.809'' and 770 18’ 25.451” covering an area of about 536.24 ha coming unde Kadechoora and Sowrashtralli villages of Yadagiri taluk.  Socio-economic analysis of Kadechur micro watersheds of Kadechur subwatershed, Yadgiri taluk & District indicated that, out of the total sample of 39 farmers were sampled in Kadechur micro-watershed among households surveyed 7 (17.95%) were marginal, 20 (51.28%) were small, 4 (10.26 %) were semi medium and 2 (5.13 %) were medium farmers. 6 landless farmers were also interviewed for the survey.  The population characteristics of households indicated that, there were 109 (57.07%) men and 82 (42.93 %) were women. The average population of landless was 3.5, marginal farmers were 4.9, small farmers were 5.4, semi medium farmers were 4 and medium farmers were 6.5.  Majority of the respondents (47.12%) were in the age group of 16-35 years.  Education level of the sample households indicated that, there were 49.74 per cent illiterates, 41.88 per cent pre university education and 6.81 per cent attained graduation.  About, 69.23 per cent of household heads practicing agriculture and 17.95 per cent of the household heads were engaged as agricultural labourers.  Agriculture was the major occupation for 45.03 per cent of the household members.  In the study area, 74.36 per cent of the households possess katcha house and 17.95 per cent possess pucca house.  The durable assets owned by the households showed that, 84.62 per cent possess TV, 15.38 per cent possess mixer grinder, 97.44 per cent possess mobile phones and 15.38 per cent possess motor cycles.  Farm implements owned by the households indicated that, 20.51 per cent of the households possess plough, 5.13 per cent possess tractor, 20.51 per cent possess bullock cart and 7.69 per cent possess sprayer.  Regarding livestock possession by the households, 5.13 per cent possess local cow.  The average labour availability in the study area showed that, own labour men available in the micro watershed was 13.03, women available in the micro watershed was 1.51, hired labour (men) available was 1.80 and hired labour (women) available was 8.80.  Further, 5.13 per cent of the households opined that hired labour was inadequate during the agricultural season. 2  Out of the total land holding of the sample respondents 90.14 per cent (52.64 ha) of the area is under dry condition and the remaining 9.86 per cent area is irrigated land.  There were 3.00 live bore wells and 1.00 dry bore wells among the sampled households.  Bore well was the major source of irrigation for 7.69 per cent of the households.  The major crops grown by sample farmers are Red gram, Groundnut, Cotton, Jowar and cropping intensity was recorded as 100.00 per cent.  Out of the sample households 100.00 percent possessed bank account and 5.13 per cent of them have savings in the account.  About 56.41 per cent of the respondents borrowed credit from various sources.  Among the credit borrowed by households, 20.83 per cent have borrowed loan from commercial banks and 41.67 per cent from co-operative/Grameena bank.  Majority of the respondents (86.67%) have borrowed loan for agriculture purpose.  Regarding the opinion on institutional sources of credit, 25.00 per cent of the households opined that credit helped to perform timely agricultural operations, while, only 75.00 per cent respondents opined that loan amount was adequate to fulfil their requirement.  The per hectare cost of cultivation for Red gram, Groundnut, Cotton and Jowar was Rs.31283.52, 33327.81, 36058.22 and 25644.97 with benefit cost ratio of 1:1.42, 1: 3.50, 1: 1.40 and1: 0.56 respectively.  Further, 17.95 per cent of the households opined that dry fodder was adequate.  The average annual gross income of the farmers was Rs. 131225.64 in microwatershed, of which Rs. 88994.87 comes from agriculture.  Sampled households have grown 15 horticulture trees and 21 forestry trees together in the fields and back yards.  About 2.56 per cent of the households shown interest to cultivate horticultural crops.  Households have an average investment capacity of Rs. 3482.05 for land development.  Source of funds for additional investment is concerned, 38.46 per cent depends on own funds and 5.13 per cent depends on bank loan for land development activities.  Regarding marketing channels, 35.90 per cent of the households have sold agricultural produce to the local/village merchants, while, 38.46 per cent have sold in regulated markets.  Further, 66.67 per cent of the households have used tractor for the transport of agriculture commodity.  Majority of the farmers (79.49%) have experienced soil and water erosion problems in the watershed and 82.05 per cent of the households were interested towards soil testing. 3  Fire was the major source of fuel for domestic use for 89.74 per cent of the households and 12.82 per cent households has LPG connection.  Piped supply was the major source for drinking water for 97.44 per cent of the households.  Electricity was the major source of light for 100.00 per cent of the households.  In the study area, 38.46 per cent of the households possess toilet facility.  Regarding possession of PDS card, 97.44 per cent of the households possessed BPL card and 2.56 per cent of the household’s were not having ration cards.  Households opined that, the requirement of cereals (64.10%), pulses (69.23%) and oilseeds (38.46%) are adequate for consumption.  Farming constraints experienced by households in the micro watersheds were lower fertility status of the soil (79.49%) wild animal menace on farm field (79.49%), frequent incidence of pest and diseases (43.59%), inadequacy of irrigation water (69.23%), high cost of fertilizers and plant protection chemicals (82.05%), high rate of interest on credit (82.05%), low price for the agricultural commodities (76.92%), lack of marketing facilities in the area (53.85%), inadequate extension services (28.21%), lack of transport for safe transport of the agricultural produce to the market (71.79%) and Less rainfall (5.13%).