LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BIDARCHED (4D5B4H2b) MICROWATERSHED Sedam Taluk, Gulbarga District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Bidarched 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 the 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 and use potentials of the soils in the microwatershed. The present study covers an area of 547 ha in Sedam taluk of Gulbarga district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought-prone with an average annual rainfall of 839 mm, of which about 639 mm is received during south-west monsoon, 109 mm during north-east and the remaining 91 mm during the rest of the year. An area of 513 ha (94%) in the microwatershed is covered by soils and about 35 ha by others (habitation and water bodies). The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 3 soil series and 8 soil phases (management units) and 2 land use class  The length of crop growing period is about 120-150 days starting from 2nd week of June to 3rd 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 19 major agricultural and horticultural crops was assessed and maps showing the degree of suitability along with constraints were generated.  About 94 percent of area in the microwatershed is suitable for agriculture  About 84 per cent area of the microwatershed has soils that are deep (100-150 cm) to very deep (>150 cm) and 10 per cent soils are shallow (25-50 cm) in depth.  About 94 per cent area of the microwatershed has clayey soils at the surface  About 70 per cent area is non gravelly (<15%) and 23 per cent is gravelly (15- 35)  About 84 per cent area of the microwatershed is very high (>200 mm/m) in available water capacity and 10 per cent area is low (51-100 mm/m) in available water capacity  About 84 per cent area of the microwatershed has very gently sloping (1-3% slope) lands and 10 per cent area is gently (3-5% slope) sloping lands  An area of about 10 per cent has soils that are slightly eroded (e1) and 84 per cent area is moderately (e2) erode  An area of about 94 per cent soils are moderately (pH 7.8-8.4) to strongly alkaline (pH 8.4-9.0)in soil reaction  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils in 17 per cent area is <2 dsm-1 indicating that the soils are non-saline and low (2-4 dSm-1) in 77 per cent area of the microwatershed  About 48 per cent of the soils are low (<0.5%) and 46 per cent soils are medium (0.5-0.75%) in organic carbon  About 89 per cent of the area is low (<23 kg/ha) in available phosphorus and small area of 4 per cent medium (23-57 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  About <1 per cent soils are medium (145-337 kg/ha) and 93 per cent is high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in an area of about 18 per cent, medium (10 -20 ppm) in 70 per cent and high (>20 ppm) in 5 per cent area of the microwatershed.  Available boron is low (0.5 ppm) in an area of about 30 per cent and medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 64 per cent.  Available iron is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in 92 per cent area and deficient (<4.5 ppm) in 2 per cent area of the microwatershed.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils of the microwatershed.  Available zinc is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in 68 per cent and sufficient (>0.6 ppm) in 26 per cent of soils in the microwatershed.  The land suitability for 19 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. Land suitability for various crops in the Microwatershed Crop Suitability Area in ha (%) Crop Suitability Area in ha (%) Highly suitable (S1) Moderately suitable (S2) Highly suitable (S1) Moderately suitable (S2) Sorghum 458(84) - Sapota - - Maize - - Jackfruit - - Redgram - 458(84) Jamun - 458(84) Sunflower 458(84) - Musambi 458(84) - Cotton 458(84) - Lime 458(84) - Sugarcane - - Cashew - - Soybean 458(84) - Custard apple 458(84) - Bengal gram 458(84) 54(10) Amla 458(84) - Guava - - Tamarind - 458(84) Mango - - Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the identified LUCs by considering only the highly and moderately suitable lands for different crops and cropping systems with food, fodder, fiber and horticulture crops.  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. This would help in not only supplementing the farm income but also provide fodder and fuel, generate lot of biomass which would help in maintaining an ecological balance and also help in mitigating the climate change. 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: Bidarched micro-watershed (Mudhol sub-watershed, Sedam taluk, Gulbarga district) is located in between 1705’ – 1709’ North latitudes and 76021’ – 76024’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 547.31 ha, bounded by Gopanpalli, Bidharcheda, Rudraram and Amarwadi villages with length of growing period (LGP) 120-150 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 eco system services were quantified. Results: The socio-economic outputs for the Bidarched micro-watershed (Mudhol subwatershed, Sedam taluk, Gulbarga district) are presented here. Social Indicators  Male and female ratio is 54 to 45 Per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is 52.8 around per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 79.4 per cent.  Social groups belong to other backward caste (OBC) 50 percent.  Liquefied petroleum gas is the source of energy for a cooking among 60 per cent and firewood 40 percent.  About 10.0 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Farm households are having MGNREGA card only 10 per cent 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 10 per cent of sample households  Women participation in decisions making are around 10 per cent of households were found. Economic Indicators  The average land holding is 1.37 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to small and medium farmers. The dry land is total cultivated land area among all the sample farmers. 2  Agriculture is the main occupation among 58.8 per cent and agriculture is the main and agriculture labour is predominant subsidiary occupation for 3.9 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs.13805 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs.105475 per household, about 20 per cent of sample farmers having plough and bullock cart.  The average value of livestock is around Rs.37666 per household; about 53.8 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 665 grams (1474 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 827 gram. Around 90 per cent of sample farmers are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs.94300 per household. About 70.0 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita average monthly expenditure is around Rs.1784 per household. 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.900 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs.462635 per year for the total area of 547 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 18226/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in red gram (Rs. 21013) and sorghum (Rs. 15439).  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs. 2099/ ha/year in sorghum.  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 red gram (Rs. 62927) and sorghum (Rs.37643). Economic Land Evaluation  The major cropping pattern is red gram (95.9 %) and sorghum (4.1 %).  In Bidarched micro-watershed, major soils series are Dhoandothi series having very deep soil depth covers around (19.1 %) of area major crops are red gram (93.8 %). Dargah soils series are having deep soil depth covers around (58.1 %) of area. on this soil farmers are presently growing sorghum (6.1 %) and red gram. 3  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for red gram ranges between Rs. 23953/ha in DDT soil (with BCR of 1.87) and Rs. 23927/ha in DRG soil (with BCR of 2.49).  In sorghum the cost of cultivation in DDT soil Rs. 33961/ha (with BCR of 1.52).  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 redgram (12.4 %) and sorghum (56.0 %).